Mark of a Legend: Ravaged World, part two
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: The path to glory isn't as easy as it seems as Dawn learns soon after commencing her journey to become Champion. She learns she is connected to the sinister plot to destroy the world, and believes she has found the one responsible, but there is more than what meets the eye. Platinum novelisation
1. Prologue

The path to glory isn't as easy as it seems as Dawn learns soon after commencing her journey to become Champion. She learns she is connected to the sinister plot to destroy the world, and believes she has found the one responsible, but there is more than what meets the eye.

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 **Prologue**

Cyrus didn't know where he was going and nor did he care. His priority was to get as far away from Sunyshore as possible. Not once did he stop to reconsider – nothing could ever convince him to return to the place where his nightmares became a reality. The fighting, the screaming, the lectures, the beatings… It was all too much.

He continued running until he could no longer run. Collapsing to the ground in a heap, he lay there gasping for breath, glancing up at the sky wondering if anyone was looking for him. The police were probably exploring his house now, trying to find what had caused the deaths of his parents, and asking around town for answers. No one knew. To the rest of the residents, his parents were seen as lovely people. His father was responsible for converting wind energy into electricity and his mother just a housewife.

But it wasn't enough. His father wanted more and this placed a strain on his relationship with his wife. The relationship worsened when Cyrus was born. His childhood years were spent locked indoors with his father, being forced to study and read rather than enjoy the outdoors with the other kids his age. He went to school for a few years until his father decided the school was useless. It was a life of isolation – if the man spotted Cyrus chatting with another kid, he'd be dragged home and punished. If he shed a tear, he'd be struck, punished for expressing what was considered weakness. His father could not tolerate failure and believed all emotions were weak. His mother tried to protect him by hiding him at her parent's place, but her husband always found out. It ended when his mother decided to end the misery by poisoning her husband and herself.

Remaining in Sunyshore was no longer an option.

It started to rain. Trembling, he picked himself up from the ground and wondered over to seek shelter under the trees. He was freezing now, but he wasn't too concerned. Perhaps the elements would do him a favour and end his life. Dying was a far more attractive option than living. No more pain. No more suffering. No more nightmares. He'd have the peace he so desperately longed for. He sat underneath one of the trees and pressed his back against the bark, bringing his knees towards his chest. Perhaps a lightning bolt would strike down the tree and crush him if he was lucky.

The storm continued. Luck didn't appear to be on his side today as no damage was caused. He was alive and he hated it. Why was it when someone wanted to die they had to live, and when someone wanted to live they died? The world was an unjust and cruel place. If the storm couldn't kill him, he figured starvation would, so he chose to refrain from eating and drinking. He could hold off the hunger, but he couldn't fight off the need to sleep. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the tree and dozed off.

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Cyrus awoke the next morning finding himself lying down on a bed in a building of some sort. It appeared to be a lab judging by the high-tech machinery around him. An image of his father's computer lab flashed in his mind, and he was reminded of the punishments that had taken place. Heart pounding, he sat up and swung his legs over the side off the bed. He tried to escape, but lack of good food had weakened him. He fell on the floor.

A young female with dark blue hair and warm blue eyes rushed over to his side. She lowered herself to the ground and reached out to grab him, but this only made him panic even more. Had he been caught? Where the heck was he and who was this strange girl that looked down on him with sympathy?

"I'm not here to hurt you. We're here to help," she said, looking to her right, drawing his attention to the man standing nearby. The man held a piercing gaze and Cyrus was briefly reminded of his father. He cringed and looked away.

"At least he's awake now," the man said. Despite the intimidating gaze the man had, he was strangely softly spoken, not at all like his father. "Johanna, please bring him something to eat. By the looks of it, he hasn't eaten anything in days."

The blue-haired girl nodded and she hurried out of the room. Cyrus sat up, wincing at a sharp pain in his lower left ribcage. "Who are you?" he said, glancing up.

"My name is Professor Rowan. I'm a Pokemon researcher." He knelt down, observing him closely. Cyrus pulled back, unsure. The man looked at him in a way Cyrus wasn't familiar with. He did not look at him with disgust or hatred, but rather with genuine concern. "I found you in the nearby woods. What were you doing there in the middle of a storm?"

"Exploring," he lied.

Professor Rowan's eyebrows lifted. He didn't appear to believe him, but he didn't ask further questions. "You're safe now. You have nothing to fear in this town. Tell me, what is your name and where are you from? You look as though you have travelled a long distance."

Cyrus paused. How much information could he share with this man? Perhaps he was connected with his father in some way? It was a worrying thought. Still, the man had taken him in and given him a place to rest. If he knew him he would've said something. He decided to take a risk. "Cyrus. I'm from Sunyshore," he said quietly.

"Sunyshore? My, that is a long way to have travelled." Professor Rowan stood up then extended his hand. Cyrus looked at it. What was Professor Rowan doing? The last time he had accepted a hand, he ended up kissing the floor. "It's all right." This man didn't seem like he was going to push him onto the ground so he cautiously accepted the gesture. Professor Rowan helped him up from the floor and Cyrus sat down on the bed.

Johanna returned with a bowl of soup and sat down next to him. He looked down at the soup and frowned, a little wary of the suspicious brown bits floating on the surface. Lifting his gaze, he faced the female and put on a smile. "It's homemade soup. I made it myself." He looked down at again. Not eating it would be rude, so he picked up the spoon, scooped some soup up then brought it to his mouth. It had a scent he couldn't quite name.

Professor Rowan smiled. "Well, I have to get back to work so I will see you both later, all right? Take care of him, Johanna." He winked then walked out leaving Cyrus alone with her.

Being in such close proximity to another female other than his mother was oddly nerve-wracking. She seemed to notice and chuckled. "I'm not going to bite you, you know… Unless you want me to," she said, with a wink. Cyrus looked at her blankly, not quite understanding if she was being serious or not. Johanna cleared her throat. "You should really that soup before it gets cold. It's not as effective otherwise."

 _Oh right, the soup._ He put the spoon in his mouth and quickly swallowed it, trying to taste as little as possible. Oddly enough, it didn't taste as bad as it looked. It was a little bitter, but that was probably due to the unknown herbs in it. His stomach growled reminding him he hadn't eaten in days. He took another bite and swallowed, feeling ravenous all of a sudden.

"You certainly must be hungry," Johanna said, laughing again.

Her laughter sounded so foreign to him. Such a joyful emotion had been forbidden in his household. Actually, all emotions were considered useless so he had become quite proficient at the art of keeping a blank face. He had been maintaining the mask for so long now it had begun to stick. It gave off a cold uncaring vibe even though he didn't feel that way inside. "Thank you," he said.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm only doing what is right." He finished off the remains of the soup then placed the bowl on the bedside table. He tried to think of a way to start the conversation, but nothing came to mind. Starting conversations wasn't exactly one of his strong points so he sat in silence, waiting for her to start one. "You must be a trainer to have made it this far. Pretty hard to get by without a Pokemon."

He nodded. "I've got a Zubat. My mother gave it to me," he said softly. He paused briefly then looked at her again. "Are you a trainer?"

She shook her head. "No, I've never been particularly interested in walking down that path. I thought about being a professor like my uncle at one point, but I'm more interested in fashion. What about you? Are you planning on taking the league challenge?"

"No, I've never been interested in that." The truth was he was forbidden to take that path. His father wanted him to take over his business when he died and so he spent long hours trying to teach his son. Cyrus picked things up quickly, but his father was never impressed, always coming up new insults and degrading comments to use to ensure Cyrus felt useless.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"Fifteen. What about you?"

Her expression brightened. "Me too! You know, it's nice to meet someone else the same age," she said, lightly brushing her hand against his arm. "Most of the people here are old. Hey, when you feel better, I can take you to the lake! They say a legendary Pokemon lives at the bottom! It's beautiful!"

"Sure, that sounds fine." It was one of those moments he knew smiling was the appropriate expression to make, but he couldn't make it happen. Johanna probably thought he was uninterested, just like all the other kids at his school thought. The quiet one. The shy one. The loser. The freak. He had been called many things and not one had been positive. Even his teacher, a woman called Carolina, had taken a disliking to him.

"You seem sad," she said softly. "I know what will make you feel better though – ice cream!" She stood up abruptly and hurried out of the room leaving Cyrus confused. Johanna hadn't pried for details and she didn't seem offended by his blunt remark. He wasn't sure how to respond. She seemed quite bubbly, the exact opposite of what he was. She returned a few moments later with a big tub of choc-chip ice cream and two spoons then handed him one and took the other for herself.

He watched her help herself to a big scoop of ice-cream, finding a simple action quite fascinating. Eating ice-cream, especially out of a tub like this, was considered repulsive in the eyes of his father. He claimed consuming too much ice-cream led to unhealthy adults. A ridiculous statement, but one he enforced. Johanna managed to get some on her face. Without a thought, he reached a hand out and scraped it off with his thumb, gently brushing his fingers against her face.

She stopped eating. He quickly withdrew his hand and looked down, berating himself for touching her without permission. That was also forbidden. "Sorry," he mumbled, lowering his spoon. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Don't be sorry," Johanna said picking up his spoon. She handed it back to him, her eyes locking on his own. "It's more than anything else anyone has done for me. Some of the other guys that visited weren't very nice people. They'd laugh at me and call me names. One guy actually pushed me into the lake once." She paused then spoke some more. "You've gone through something similar, haven't you? I can see the pain in your eyes. Maybe that's why I feel a connection with you."

He had often heard of people talking about connections with others before and he still wasn't quite sure what it meant. Despite the little experience he had with other human beings, he felt somehow at peace in her presence. Was this the connection others often talked about it? He didn't know, but he wanted it to last. "It's a topic I avoid talking about."

"I know the feeling, but sometimes it's better to let it all out rather than keep it bottled up inside. There's only so much pain a person can take before it consumes them, turning them into someone else." She placed a hand over his own, her eyes never leaving his face. "You're not as alone as you think you are." She pulled her hand away suddenly and stood up. "You should get some rest. I'll come and check up on you later." She stood up and exited the room, leaving the tub of ice-cream with him.

For the first time in his life, he felt at peace.

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Just another one of those old re-uploads (this must be the fourth time now I think). Happy reading!


	2. The Great Adventure Begins

Thanks to the4elements for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter One: The Great Adventure Begins**

"Do you really think it is wise to send your daughter knowing that _he_ is out there?" Professor Carolina said as she sat down at the table across from Johanna.

The woman pushed her short navy blue bangs away from her face, picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip before responding. "The other parents in our town allowed their children to commence their journeys when they turned ten. Dawn is twelve. I can't keep her here forever. You allowed your granddaughter Cynthia to leave at ten," Johanna said, setting her cup down on the table.

Professor Carolina bit her bottom lip, a troubled expression on her aging features. "Cynthia's situation differs greatly from Dawn's and you know it," she hissed. "If you allow your daughter to venture out into the world then you know she will cross paths with him. Do I need to remind you what happened?" Johanna said nothing. Carolina continued. "He abandoned you before Dawn was even born – how do you think he'll react when he learns that he has a daughter?"

Johanna took another sip of coffee. "Dawn won't be alone. Professor Rowan will give her a Pokemon."

The professor studied Johanna's features then sighed. "I can see I will not be able to change your mind. I hope for your sake this is not the wrong decision." The professor stood up from the chair. She cast a doubtful look over her shoulder in Johanna's direction before exiting the building. Rubbing her temples, Johanna heaved a sigh.

"Good morning!" a voice chirped behind her, prompting Johanna to jump in her chair. She rubbed her eyes and looked towards the staircase where a younger version of herself stood. Looking at her daughter now reminded her of her own adventures when she was just a child. Young, innocent, naive and she didn't have to worry about anything because there was nothing to be concerned about.

"Morning, sweetie," Johanna replied, trying to mimic the same enthusiasm Dawn showed. Letting her guard down now would only make Dawn suspicious and the less she knew about her mother's worries, the better for them all. "Did you get a good night's sleep? You know just how important today is."

Dawn skipped over to the table and helped herself to one of the choc-chip biscuits sitting in the jar in the middle. "Of course I haven't forgotten; today is the day I receive my first Pokemon!" She hugged her mother then pulled away. "What made you change your mind?"

"I couldn't hold you back from pursuing your dreams no longer," her mother replied. "I remember you telling me you wanted to become the region's best trainer after we led that baby Bidoof back to its home. I know you have what it takes to be the best and I know you won't stop until you've achieved it." Dawn reminded her so strongly of her father – he too, was a very goal-driven character and would not stop until the goal was successfully completed.

Dawn's smile faded. "I wish my father was here to celebrate this moment."

Johanna comforted her daughter with a tight hug. "I'm sure he'd be very proud of you," she said, grateful Dawn couldn't see the grim smile on her face. She pulled back and put on a fake grin. "Why don't you go and pay your friend, Barry a visit? His mother tells me he's leaving for his journey today as well. You can visit Professor Rowan together."

"I'll do that now."

"I'll pack your bag while you visit your friend. Have fun!"

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Dawn was greeted by a strong gust of cold wind as she closed the door behind her. Twinleaf Town was built on hilly terrain so its residents generated power using wind turbines which were located on the highest hill peaks. It also didn't help they were situated in the second coldest location in Sinnoh. Winter had passed, but there were still some snowy grass patches in the area. Wrapping her scarf around her neck, she started making her way towards her friend's place. Barry's house was easy to spot – there were only three buildings in this town. One house belonged to Barry's family, and the other belonged to a single mother and her son, Mike.

She reached Barry's house and prepared to knock on the door when it flung open. Her childhood friend stood at the doorway looking like he had just crawled out of bed and gotten caught in a windstorm. His thick blond hair stuck out in all directions and there was even a smudge of sauce on the front of his shirt. "Oh, hey Dawn! I'm going to see Professor Rowan! You should come too, and quickly!" he blurted before Dawn could even speak a single word.

Barry wasn't a person known for his levels of patience. He acted, moved and even spoke quickly. Sometimes his sentences were so hard to decipher because he spoke so fast that all his words merged into one. "Lead the way." She turned to head towards the town's only exit when Barry suddenly brought a hand to his head.

"Oh, geez, I forgot something." He spun around on his heels and darted back inside. Dawn shook her head and stepped inside her friend's house. His mother was sitting on the couch watching a news item about climate change, but she spotted Dawn and greeted her with a warm welcome. Dawn smiled in response and his mother informed the girl her son had raced upstairs.

Dawn walked up the stairs and found Barry standing before his desk, throwing books and various items into a bag sitting on the chair. She wasn't surprised he had forgotten something – how could anyone find anything in this room? It was like a tornado had hit this place. "...Where did I put my journal… Oh, there it is…" he muttered as he picked up his bag. He turned around and spotted Dawn and greeted her with a grin. "I'll be waiting for you outside! It's a ten million dollar fine if you are late!" he teased. He sped past her and raced down the stairs.

She made her way back down the stairs, said her goodbyes to Barry's mother and exited the house. One of the local kids was standing near the town's exit – his name was Mike and instead of becoming a trainer like all the other kids, he had chosen to act as a guardsman instead. His job was to prevent wild Pokemon from entering the houses of the locals. Sometimes, Bidoofs found their way into people's homes, and destroyed whatever wood they could sink their teeth into.

"Hey there, Dawn!" Mike called out, waving. "Setting out for your journey, right? Barry raced past here before but he wouldn't be able to get too far since he doesn't have a Pokemon either. It won't be long until you find him. Good luck, make us proud!" He winked and Dawn grinned back. She walked past him and stepped onto Route 201.

Barry was waiting for her near a large patch of tall grass. This time, he didn't greet her with a grin. Instead, he furrowed his brows and flared his nostrils in a gesture of annoyance. "You are so slow." His annoyed expression didn't last long, replaced quickly by a wide smile. "All right! We're going to head to Professor Rowan's place." He took a step towards the grass.

"Barry, we can't do that. Wild Pokemon live in the tall grass and we don't have any Pokemon to defend ourselves with," Dawn pointed out.

He thought hard for a moment then nodded. "We just have to dash through the grass. They won't be able to touch us!" he exclaimed, placing a foot into the grassy patch. Dawn wished she felt as confident as Barry, but she couldn't help but think his plan was just a tad bit foolish. Still, he was her best friend and there was no way she was going to stay behind while he had all the fun. She followed him into the grass and was about to take a few steps further when a voice called out.

"Hold it!"

Dawn froze. She gave Barry a worried look who, for once in his life, actually looked concerned. Both of them turned around to find an elderly man dressed in a white lab coat and grey pants rushing towards him. Judging by the absence of a smile on his face, Dawn knew the man was less than amused by their actions. His eyes studied their faces then dropped to their waistlines, before returning to their eyes again. "I see you do not have a pokebelt which means you do not have any Pokemon. Why on earth are you running around in the tall grass?"

"Well… uh…" started Barry, struggling to find a rational way to explain the situation at hand. Dawn would've teased him right now about making a mess of things if she hadn't been in the same situation. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Dawn for some support. Dawn didn't say anything. How was she supposed to explain this? "Wait a minute. Isn't that Professor Rowan?" he whispered to Dawn.

Dawn lifted a brow. "Even I knew that," she lied. She recognized the name – everyone in the region knew Professor Rowan, but she had never seen him a photo of him before so she didn't recognize his face. Her mother always spoke highly of the man and Dawn assumed he would be around her mother's age. Apparently, he was related to Johanna, but her mother never explained it, her history remaining a mystery.

She turned back to the professor and bit her bottom lip. This was the man who gave starting out trainers their first Pokemon. Would he give them one now knowing they were about to do something as reckless as dashing through a patch of grass filled with wild Pokemon without one of their own? Was he even aware she was Johanna's daughter?

"… They wanted a Pokemon of their own so they walked into the grass…" he murmured, stroking his chin. "… If I were to give them a Pokemon… but do they deserve one? Reckless trainers are dangerous… Hmm, what to do…" He studied the expressions on both Dawn and Barry's faces. "Do you love Pokemon?"

She met Barry's eyes and knew immediately what he was thinking. Who _didn't_ love Pokemon? "Of course we do! You can ask a thousand times and the answer will always be the same!" Barry exclaimed. "We love Pokemon, right Dawn?" he said, nudging her sharply in the ribs.

Dawn held down a yelp. "Yeah!" she blurted.

Professor Rowan didn't seem so convinced. "Why should I give a pair of reckless kids a Pokemon of their own? It worries me what could happen to these Pokemon if placed into the wrong hands," he said sternly.

Dawn cast her eyes downwards at her feet, shifting uncomfortably while Barry fidgeted with his fingers. This was it. She had gone and ruined her chances of receiving a Pokemon all because she couldn't hold back her friend. What would her mother think?

"It was my fault, professor! I convinced Dawn to sprint through the grass. Don't punish her for my mistake!" he blurted. His honesty took Dawn by surprise. She looked at him, an eyebrow raised.

"How big of you…" The man straightened, a smile forming on his lips. "I have come to a decision. I will give you both a Pokemon, but you must promise me never to endanger yourselves like that again. Is that understood?"

Dawn and Barry answered simultaneously. "Yes!"

Professor Rowan seemed satisfied with their response. "Now, where is Lucas… for such a young man in peak health he surely has a lot of trouble trying to keep up with me…" he mumbled, turning around in circles searching for Lucas. A few moments later a young teenage male with a cap appeared carrying a brown briefcase in his right hand. He approached the professor, huffing and puffing, and placed the briefcase on the grass besides the man.

"You left your briefcase at the lake, professor." Dawn had never seen the male before, but he didn't appear to be that much older than herself. He was wearing black denim pants and a blue and black jacket which covered a red short-sleeved shirt. The male caught Dawn's eyes and nodded, although it didn't seem to be a warm gesture. "Is there something wrong?"

"Ah, there you are, Lucas. I thought you may have gotten lost. Could you please open the briefcase? I am going to entrust these two young trainers with a Pokemon of their own."

Lucas' brown eyes widened. "What? You're going to give these two trainers a Pokemon? But what about the forms the parents have to sign? You can't just give them one – for all we know they could be reckless trainers," he said.

"There comes a time when people should meet Pokemon. There is a world that should be explored together. For them, today is that time. This place, right now." He looked at Lucas again and nodded. Lucas sighed, but he opened the briefcase and turned it around so Dawn and Barry could see it better. There were three pokeballs. Under each one there was a label and a picture. "Go on, choose one."

"You go first, Dawn," Barry said. He then grinned. "I'm practically a grown-up so I have to show some class here."

The pokeball on the left had an image of a male green tortoise called Turtwig, the one in the middle was of a male orange monkey labelled Chimchar and the final one had a picture of a female blue penguin called Piplup. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what type each Pokemon was classified as. All three Pokemon looked adorable, but she decided to go with the tortoise instead. Grass-types were often overlooked – there was a report on the television just the other day explaining how most trainers opted to go with a fire or water-type as their first Pokemon just because grass-types had far too many disadvantages.

Well, Dawn wasn't going to be one of those trainers. Pokemon were only as strong as their trainers and she planned to be the best in all of Sinnoh. "I'll choose the Turtwig."

Barry didn't hesitate. He selected the fire-type monkey. "I'll take the Chimchar then!"

Lucas closed the briefcase. Professor Rowan cleared his throat and spoke again. "Very well! Both of you have chosen a good Pokemon, it seems. Now, listen well! The Pokemon you have been entrusted with are unfamiliar with the world. In that regard, they're much like you. As fellow newcomers to the world, I hope you'll do well together. If you have any trouble, come see me at my lab in Sandgem Town. And now, we'll be on our way." He started to walk away, briskly striding through the grass while Lucas ran after him, calling for his name.

Once the two had left, Barry turned to face Dawn. "We've both got Pokemon now and you know what that means, right? Are you up for this?" he demanded, holding out his pokeball to her face. He took a couple of steps back as Dawn did the same.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Dawn replied, holding out her pokeball. "Bring it!"

Barry was almost jumping up and down from excitement. He pointed a finger in her direction, eyes shining with joy. "I challenge you to a battle, Dawn!" He threw out his pokeball and Dawn threw her one out several seconds after. The two Pokemon emerged from their safety zones and faced each other. "All right, go for it Chimchar! Attack!" The Chimchar did not move, rather, it just looked up at Barry with confusion.

It was at the precise moment Dawn realized they didn't know what attacks their Pokemon knew. She picked up the pokeball and noticed there was a tiny piece of paper attached to the back of it. Removing it, she read the words scribbled onto it out loud so Barry could hear. "Your Pokemon are both very young and therefore they have much to learn about the world. Pokemon learn moves as they become more experienced. You will have the option to choose their move set by visiting a Pokemon Centre when the time comes. Right now, this Pokemon knows two moves – Tackle and Withdraw."

Dawn put the pokeball away and returned her attention to the battle. "Okay, Turtwig, let's do this! Use Tackle!" The Turtwig jumped at her command.

Barry put his note away and issued his first command. "Chimchar, use Scratch!" The monkey leapt forward, clawing at the Turtwig's face. Turtwig stumbled backwards, wincing from the attack. Dawn tightened her jaw. This was the moment she had been waiting for a very long time and she was not going to let her best friend win.

It was now Turtwig's time to attack and he charged forward at quite a surprising speed for a tortoise and tackled the small ape to the ground. The monkey squealed, flailing his limbs around in the air, desperately trying to free itself from underneath the tortoises' body. "Good work, Turtwig!" Dawn cheered.

"Use Scratch again, Chimchar!"

"Use Tackle, Turtwig!"

Turtwig moved off Chimchar to prepare himself for another attack, allowing the monkey temporary freedom. Chimchar lunged forward, swiping at the tortoise's face again. Once again, Turtwig winced but he was still in the match. He charged and tackled the monkey to the ground. This time, the monkey did not move. He lay there on the ground, his eyes rolled back into his head, tongue hanging loosely out the side of its mouth.

"Aw man," Barry groaned.

A smile broke out on Dawn's face. "I won!" She hurried over to her Turtwig, bent down and gave her new friend a hug. Turtwig seemed to appreciate it and rubbed his face against her own, while Barry returned his fainted monkey to his ball.

"Are you sure you haven't battled before?" Barry said, perplexed. "You already seem to know exactly what you are doing… or maybe it was just a case of beginner's luck? Oh well, I'll be ready next time."

Dawn stood back up and shrugged. "My mother told me that my father was also a trainer. I guess it just runs in the family then… or at least on one side of the family." Her mother was a fashion coordinator.

"I'm going to train hard!" her friend exclaimed, pointing a finger at her face. "You better train hard too, Dawn. I don't want you falling behind me. I'm going to go and visit Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town to thank him properly for giving me this opportunity, but I'm going to get something to eat first. I'm famished." Before Dawn could get in another word, Barry sprinted off, heading back in the direction of Twinleaf.

Heading back home was probably a good idea though; the battle had been rather tiring even if it had only been a short one. If she was exhausted now, she wondered how tired she was going to be in future battles. She made a promise to herself to keep in shape so she wouldn't place herself at a disadvantage in upcoming matches.

"Come on, Turtwig. I'm taking you home."

Turtwig glanced up at her curiously, but tagged along at her side as she retraced her steps back to Twinleaf Town, a gentle breeze brushing up against her skin.

.

"Sweetie, you've returned!" Johanna's eyes moved to the Pokemon accompanying her daughter. She smiled. "And I see you've brought back a new friend!" She moved forward, bent down and rubbed the tortoise just beneath his chin. Turtwig closed his eyes and made a weird noise, which almost sounded like a purring sound. Her mother stood up. "I've packed the standard items a trainer needs for their journey and I've also included the trainer tips book. You know that book was written by Professor Oak so it's bound to contain useful information. Oh, your bank account details are also in your bag – you know trainers give each other a small percentage of their current savings to the victor after a battle."

Dawn nodded. She already knew some of the basics of being a trainer thanks to the television. "Thanks mum!"

"You don't need to thank me – I'm your mother, looking after you is my job." Her mother leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Go and fulfil your dreams, sweetie!" She took a step back and waved. Dawn exited her house for the second time that day and slung her bag over her shoulder. Leaving home was a scary feeling, but at least she wasn't alone.

She looked down at her companion who was currently observing his surroundings. The baby tortoise seemed a little nervous to be out in the wild as he stood very close to Dawn's legs. "Don't be frightened, Turtwig," Dawn said soothingly. "I'm new to this as well. We'll learn together. It won't be long before you'll be the strongest Turtwig in the region." Those words seemed to lessen the Pokemon's nerves. "We're going to go and visit the professor in the neighbouring town."

Once again she found herself on Route 201, but only this time she could actually venture through the patches of grass without fear of being attacked by a Pokemon. It wasn't long before she found her old friend Barry pacing back and forth. "Barry? I thought you would've been in Sandgem by now."

He turned around and smiled. "I was going to go and thank him on my own, but I thought I should wait for you instead. After all, we did receive our Pokemon at the same time. There's something I want to do first before we go on further though – do you remember the lake we always play at? I hear there is a powerful legendary Pokemon there and I think we should go catch it!" His eyes shone with excitement.

Once again, Dawn wasn't so sure with Barry's decision. He never thought ahead; he just made up ideas on the spot. Dawn on the other hand preferred to think things through before acting upon them. "Are you sure that's a good idea? We just received our Pokemon – I highly doubt we'd be strong enough to take a legendary Pokemon on." She could just imagine the horror on the professor's face if he stumbled upon them trying to battle a legendary. Speaking of legendaries, where had Barry received the information about one being so close to home anyway? She certainly hadn't heard anything, but once again she found herself going along with Barry's crazy ideas.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the lake. "We're going to make Professor Rowan so happy! Just imagine the look on his face when we show him a legendary Pokemon!" They arrived at the lake and entered through a narrow opening in between a couple of pine trees. There were three lakes in Sinnoh, and this one, called Lake Verity, just happened to be the smallest of them. That wasn't a bad thing though; it meant there were no tourists around here to disrupt the peace.

But today, there was a visitor. There was a man standing at the edge of the lake, staring down at the crystal clear water talking to himself, as if there was someone else there. Dawn caught snippets of the words. "… The flowing time… The expanding space… I will make it mine one day… Cyrus is my name. Remember it… Until then, sleep while you can legendary Pokemon of the lake bed…" The man turned around, running a hand through his spiky blue hair, which was a lighter shade than Dawn's own.

"Aw, the blogger lied," Barry complained. "I was so sure there was going to be a legendary Pokemon here."

Cyrus looked at Dawn. Dawn looked at Cyrus. She felt like she had seen those eyes somewhere before but that couldn't be right. She had never seen this guy in her life, so why did they seem so familiar? "Allow me to pass. Step aside," he commanded coldly. Dawn and Barry obeyed and the man strode by exiting the lake.

"What a weird guy… did you see that hair?" Barry mumbled.

Dawn frowned. "What's wrong with blue hair?"

"Oh nothing! It's just… it's not really that common, is it? Blue hair is quite popular in Kanto and Johto, but not here in Sinnoh," he explained blankly. "I looked it up on PokeWeb," he added as if that explained everything. "Anyway, there's nothing for us here so let's move on to Sandgem! I'll race you there!"

"Wait!" she called out, but Barry had already sprinted away, dashing off to the next town to meet up with Professor Rowan. Dawn, on the other hand, stayed behind for awhile, gazing at the crystalline clear lake. She walked over, stood at the water's edge and gazed down. The man that had been here previously spoke to the lake as if there was a creature down below. He seemed oddly polite, but he gave off an aura that made her feel cold inside. Perhaps he was one of those dangerous trainers she had heard about in the stories shared around the campfire during cold winter nights.

They were called wild trainers – these were trainers who chose not to live by the official league rules, instead choosing to make their own. They often lived in secluded parts of the region, preying on hapless trainers and beating them to a pulp before the victim could even react. She didn't have to worry about them too much if she remained on the main path. Wild trainers relied on luring and ambushing tactics and never set foot on the main road.

Turtwig rubbed his head against the back of leg, staring up at her with a look she read as confusion. Her Pokemon was probably urging her to continue moving on. She smiled, bending down to give her new companion a scratch beneath the chin. "You're right. There's nothing else for us here." Turtwig led the way out of the lake, moving as fast as his stumpy legs would carry him, as Dawn followed closely behind. Sandgem Town was her next destination.


	3. Lessons

**Chapter Two: Lessons**

Sandgem Town was a lot smaller than she had imagined. On the television, the place seemed so grand, but in reality it was just another town, only this one was built on the shoreline of a beach. The salty scent of the sea filled her nostrils and she scrunched up her face, unused to the smell.

"Hey slowpoke! Over here!" Barry said, calling her over, waving both his hands in the air. He was standing in front of a building with an aqua-coloured roof, a smile plastered on his face. "The professor is inside. Come on in!" Barry opened the door and stepped inside and Dawn followed.

The research lab was a little disorganized – there were a couple of books lying on the ground, papers scattered on tables and even the professor himself looked a little rattled. He was bent over another table, mumbling to himself something about a 'Pokedex'. "Uh, hello?" Dawn said.

Upon hearing her name, the professor turned around. His face brightened and he hurried over to her with three coloured Pokedexes' in his hand. Lucas, his assistant, was also there and he regarded Dawn and Barry coolly. "Ah, I'm glad to see you are here Dawn. Your friend arrived moments earlier and we were beginning to worry about your status. But, you are here now and I can give you a very important tool that will help you in your journey."

Lucas stepped forward to offer an explanation. "Professor Rowan is holding a Pokedex. They come in all colours, but we've only got a black, red and pink one left. The Pokedex is an essential tool in any trainer's journey – they will record information on any Pokemon you encounter, and they will also keep track of your own Pokemon's details." He turned to focus on Dawn. "Naturally, I'd assume you would like the pink one?"

Dawn shook her head. "I was actually thinking of taking the black one."

Lucas raised a brow and looked at the professor. The professor shrugged. "What seems to be the problem, Lucas?"

"I wanted the black one."

"Well, you can have the pink one instead."

Lucas grumbled.

Professor Rowan smiled, gazing down at Dawn's Turtwig. "I see your Pokemon has already grown stronger. He clearly seems to like you lots. It appears I made a good choice in allowing you and your friend to have a Pokemon of your own. Before you go, I'd like to give you this TM called Return." He reached down over to his table and handed the two trainers a small bottle of clear liquid. "I mentioned in the note that you can teach your Pokemon moves by taking them to a Pokemon Centre, but you can't do that with TM's. TM's are technical moves and can be bought for a fee at a department store. They are moves your Pokemon wouldn't normally learn naturally."

"How will I know what moves a Pokemon can learn?" Dawn asked.

"Your Pokedex will have the entire list. New moves are learnt when your Pokemon reaches a certain level," the professor explained. "Now what moves you choose to keep and remove are all up to you. Some trainers, like the Dragon Tamers of the Blackthorn Clan, prefer to use offensive moves and others like Koga of the Indigo League, like to rely on status inflicting moves. Of course you could also choose to focus entirely on wearing your opponent down with defensive moves though and then attack. It's up to you. If you want to update your move set, just show your trainer card to the lady at the counter and she'll connect your Pokemon to the move tutor machine." Dawn lifted her eyebrows. "Don't worry, it's painless," he added quickly at Dawn's worried look.

She relaxed. "Trainer card?" Dawn repeated.

"You'll receive your trainer card when you arrive in Jubilife. The trainer card records your details and allows you to compete in the league challenge. If you don't have a card, they won't let you through the gates even if you have all eight badges. It's a security measure."

Dawn nodded. Hoenn had an incident where trainers were gaining access into the league without trainer cards, using stolen and illegal Pokemon. Foreign trainers were mostly to blame since they were the ones usually behind some nefarious scheme. The trainer card system was just one of the many ways companies were protecting their trainers.

"There's an app that records your trainer details. You'll need the Poketch item, but you can buy one in the next city." He walked over to his table and pulled out a drawer, digging his hand inside then pulled it back out. He was holding two metallic cases – one was gold and the other silver. Both of them had a silver fern on their metallic surfaces. "This is a badge case. Use these to protect your badges." He gave the silver one to Barry and the golden one to Dawn.

Dawn and Barry exchanged smiles. It all sounded simple enough. "I'm going to catch every Pokemon for you, Professor Rowan!" Barry exclaimed, as he grabbed his red Pokedex and badge case, stashing both items into his bag. "Anyway, time is wasting! I'll see you later, Dawn!" And before anyone could say anything, Barry was already out the door.

"…Well then…" Professor Rowan said, turning to Dawn, looking a little shocked by Barry's sudden departure. "Lucas will show you around the town and he'll teach you the basics of catching Pokemon, won't you Lucas?"

Lucas grumbled, putting his pink Pokedex away. "I'll show Dawn the basics." He turned to her now and nodded towards the lab exit. "Come on. I'll show you everything you need to know about becoming a good trainer." Dawn got the feeling Lucas wasn't too thrilled about it, but there was nothing he could do.

They stepped outside into the glaring sun and Lucas led Dawn over to a building with a blue roof. Dawn had never seen such a building before and looked at the assistant for an explanation. "This is the Poke Mart. You can buy all your Pokemon essentials here – potions, pokeballs, repels… that sort of thing. You don't have any badges though so you'll only be able to buy the basics. You'll need badges to gain access to high quality items. The Poke Mart isn't just needs for your partners though - they do sell items for humans as well."

They exited the building immediately. Dawn frowned, but didn't say anything. She had hoped Lucas would've allowed her to do some window shopping at least. "What else is there?"

"Most towns and cities have a Pokemon Centre, but as you can see, we don't have one here. Pokemon Centres have a red roof so you can't miss it. If you need to heal your Pokemon, you go to a Pokemon Centre. Healing is free. Pokemon Centres also treat humans as well so if you need a rest yourself, or a place to stay for the night, go to one and you will be looked after by the staff," he explained, leading Dawn towards the northern exit.

Dawn nodded. Pokemon Centre, red roof. Poke Mart, blue roof. "Where are we going now?"

"I'm going to show you how to catch a Pokemon. You will become a stronger trainer, the more Pokemon you have on your team. You can have a maximum of six Pokemon at any one time and the six you choose should complement each other. Don't become a monotype trainer unless it is your wish to become a gym leader or a member of the league – you want a varied team so you can withstand any attack your opponent may use on you. You should build your team around your starter. Your starter is a Grass-type, so I would suggest getting a Fire and Water-type to cover Turtwig's weaknesses."

"What types are there?"

Lucas began to list them all. "Dragon, Flying, Fire, Water, Ice, Grass, Rock, Ground, Steel, Electric, Poison, Dark, Ghost, Bug, Normal, Fighting, Psychic and Fairy… but Fairies are only native to Kalos unless you trade for one. They're currently working on introducing the Fairy-types in other regions, but the breeding programme hasn't commenced yet. Dragon-types are the hardest to raise because it takes them longer to gain levels, but don't let that discourage you."

 _So many types._ How was she going to narrow it down to just six Pokemon? "It sounds pretty complex."

Lucas shrugged. "It's all part of the fun of being a Pokemon trainer. The team you assemble says a lot about you and your battling style, so choose Pokemon that reflect your personality. Ah, here we are."

Dawn had been so distracted by Lucas' words that she hadn't even realized they had left the town. They were now standing before a patch of grass. Lucas called out his Pokemon, a Piplup, and walked into the grass.

"To catch a Pokemon you must battle it until the wild Pokemon is close to fainting. The weaker it is, the easier it is to catch. If you are having difficulty catching a Pokemon, you should try and paralyse it or put it to sleep to weaken it further. You can tell when a Pokemon is about to faint when it starts showing signs of extreme fatigue. That's the moment when you throw your pokeball. Do you see that Starly over there?" He drew Dawn's attention to a plump black and white avian foraging in the grass. "I'll show you how to catch one. Piplup, use Peck!"

His penguin wobbled forward and attacked the Starly before the wild Pokemon even knew what was going on. It received a sharp jab on the head and squawked, then turned around to fight back. The Starly attacked, but the penguin got another move in first. Starly stumbled backwards, its' body swaying from side to side.

"Oh!" Dawn said, as Lucas threw a pokeball at the avian's head. The bird was sucked into the ball. It was like magic. Dawn wasn't quite sure how a Pokemon could fit into item, but she suspected it had something to do with the power of science.

The ball rocked back and forth, once to the left, then to the right and back to the left again, a three second delay in between each movement. After the third movement, it came to a sudden stop. "Starly has been captured. Sometimes, the Pokemon will escape. Some Pokemon have a weak resistance while others are very difficult to capture, such as legendary Pokemon. If you find yourself unable to capture a Pokemon after exhausting all other options, then you probably need to upgrade your pokeball to the next level. Do you need me to go over anything?"

 _That was a lot of information to absorb,_ Dawn noted. "No, I'm good," she replied.

Lucas seemed relieved. "That's good to hear. I don't have the time to hold your hand and watch over you to make sure you're doing it right." An unpleasant sensation gripped her stomach. Why did he dislike her so much? "Anyway, I'll give you these five pokeballs so you can get started on completing your Pokedex. If you get into any form of trouble, be sure to call for help! You do have an Xtransceiver, right?"

"Uh…" Dawn rummaged through her bag, searching for the communication device. Fortunately, her mother had packed one for her. "Yup!" She pulled it out and handed it to Lucas. Lucas took it and entered a couple of numbers and handed it back to her. Dawn took it back and returned it to the safety of her shoulder bag.

"Right. I should be returning to the lab to help the professor with his next assignment. Keep heading down this path – it will eventually take you to Jubilife City where you will have the opportunity to gain your first badge." He pointed down the path to the north-eat. "Good luck," he said, but he didn't sound like he meant it. He said his goodbyes and headed back towards the lab, leaving Dawn behind. The boy seemed glad to get away and Dawn wondered what she had done to make him dislike her so.

She glanced down at her Turtwig who also appeared to be confused. "Don't worry about him, Turtwig. I think he's mad because he got the pink Pokedex instead. Let's head to Jubilife, shall we?" The Turtwig nodded eager to make some progress. Dawn smiled. The quest to obtain her first badge had begun!

Johanna stood at the doorway of her daughter's room, fighting off the urge to shed tears. Dawn had only been gone for a couple of hours, but it felt like a decade. She would not return home for a couple of years until she claimed the title of Champion. At least she had her Pokemon; at least her daughter wouldn't be completely alone. She sniffed, using the back palm of her right hand to wipe her eyes then exited, closing the door behind her.

She headed back downstairs to make herself comfortable on the couch. Flopping down, she crossed her legs and leaned back into the sofa, grabbing a magazine on the table. She flicked through the pages, stopping at the fashion section. In a couple of weeks Hearthome City would be hosting a massive event. Most of the time she worked at home, designing outfits and selling her ideas to dressmakers, but there were times she helped out at special events like these. She was about to pick up the phone to give some of her contacts a call when there was a knock on the door. Frowning, she stood up and cautiously made her way over. She doubted Dawn would be back only just having left a few hours ago – and it surely couldn't be Cynthia's grandmother again so soon – perhaps it was Professor Rowan himself?

Placing a hand on the doorknob, she turned it clockwise slowly until it creaked open. She pulled it back just enough to catch a glimpse of the person standing on the otherwise. He was tall, at least a foot taller than herself, and dressed in black clothes and a grey jacket. Johanna noticed there was a 'G' imprinted just beneath the right lapel. She drew in a deep breath and forced herself to look into his eyes. "Cyrus."

His reply was immediate. "Johanna."

He was the last person she wanted to see, but here he was standing on her doorstep only this time, he wasn't carrying a bouquet of flowers, nor soaking wet. Johanna looked past him hoping none of her neighbours were watching, but fortunately they were all inside. She didn't want the neighbours asking questions about 'her guest'. She stepped aside and allowed him in, slamming the door shut. "What do you want?" she demanded immediately, pressing her back against the door, eyeing him warily.

"I have an offer for you." He moved to the kitchen table and sat down then looked at her again. "Sit," he added, gesturing to an empty chair beside him. Johanna felt a stab of annoyance at being given an order in her own house but she obeyed and sat down. "I would like you to join Galactic."

A sardonic laugh escaped her throat. "Is that it?"

He looked at her blankly. "Is what it?"

"You disappear for over a decade and now you return out of the blue to offer me a job?"

He shook his head. "Not a job. A new home." He placed a hand on her arm and looked into her eyes. "Galactic is a corporation dedicated to making the world a better place and I want you to be a part the process, Johanna."

"What do you mean by 'make the world a better place'?" She tried moving her arm away, unnerved by his touch, but that only encouraged him to tighten his grip.

"The world we live in is imperfect; I seek to change that. We live in a world populated by weak-minded fools and fragile hearts and they drag us down. We will never evolve as a race with incompetent fools living in our universe. A change is needed," he explained, eyes never leaving her face.

She flinched, suddenly uncomfortable. She pried his fingers off her arm and pulled her arm back to her side. Making the world a better place wasn't a bad idea; in fact, she agreed with him to some extent. There was so much wrong in the world that purging it of its evils was actually quite appealing, but she knew it wasn't possible. "Despite your brilliance, Cyrus, there's nothing you can do. We have to learn to accept that not everything will be the way we would like it to be," she said softly.

A muscle jerked in his jaw. "I can make it happen."

"You're not a God."

"I will be."

Now she was worried. Cyrus hadn't always been the most mentally stable person thanks to his rough upbringing, but she thought she could help him overcome the horrors of his past. What a fool she had been to think that someone as damaged as him could be changed. A part of her, a tiny part, still wanted to believe he could be saved from himself. Deep down a part of her still longed for that happy ending. "A feeling isn't a weakness, Cyrus. It can make us stronger. It brings people together."

"Emotions are the cause of strife."

"You once told me that there is a reason to cry, and it wasn't of sadness, but of joy and laughter. Are you telling me now that you want to rid the world of the ability to experience happiness because of a few bad apples? Quit acting like a child!" she scolded.

"What did you call me?" he asked his voice dangerously low.

She looked at him sternly. "A child. You're throwing a tantrum because things aren't the way you would like it to be." She took in a deep breath and rose from her chair, pushing it back in. "You walked out on me twelve years ago – do you really think I'd go back to you after everything that happened?"

"I had to leave."

"You cared more about Galactic than you did about me!" she spluttered, throwing him an accusing look. "You left me when I needed you most!" She remembered the day he left as if it had happened yesterday. It was a Sunday morning and she had been returning home after a check up at the Pokemon Centre to inform Cyrus that she was indeed pregnant, but she never had the chance to tell him because he had randomly disappeared, leaving behind only a note.

Cyrus just looked at her, a slight frown on his face. "You had money and a home."

She bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling, biting down almost hard enough to draw blood. "I was pregnant!" she blurted, tears threatening to spill. "She asks about you often – but I can't bring myself to tell her the truth. If she knew about you and your crazy ideas it would break her and I won't inflict that pain on her!" Now she was crying. She hated crying, but tears were unavoidable when she was upset.

"A daughter?" he said slowly, as if he had never heard the word before.

Johanna sniffed. "I'm not telling you more – you don't deserve to know anything else."

He stood up and moved to stand directly in front of Johanna. "She's my daughter."

"And you were never there for her! Cynthia's grandmother filled in your role," she spat. She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth as she suddenly found herself pinned down on the table, one arm underneath her, and the other behind. She tried to struggle against him, but his hold was far too strong.

He lowered his head and whispered into her right ear, brushing aside her bangs. "And to think I offered you a chance to stand with me…" He placed a finger beneath her eye to catch a tear. Johanna struggled again, but her attempts proved futile. He trailed the same finger down the side of her cheek gently then wrapped an arm around her slender waist. "I had hoped you would understand… but I was wrong. You mock my ideas but you will see that I am right." He brought his lips to hers, pressing against them with full force, whilst she moaned at his touch, her hand gripping at his clothing.

She had angered him that much was obvious. She could see the fury in his eyes – never had she seen a fire burn so cold. For a man who claimed to despise emotions, he certainly expressed them with a great passion. It's what made him so dangerous – repressed emotions couldn't be held back forever and in heated situations like this, they came out at full force usually in an unpredictable manner. "Your plans will fail – they always did," she pointed out.

And just like that, he pulled away from her, running a through her hair. He grabbed a handful jerking it roughly. "I will find her… I will make her come to me and then she can decide what is best. Perhaps our daughter will follow in my footsteps instead of yours…" He pulled away from Johanna, allowing the woman to stand. "Or perhaps she'll prove me wrong." He led himself out of the house and soon, Johanna found herself alone again. She readjusted her clothes, running a finger across her lips, remembering the feel of him against hers. If only she had tried harder to save him then perhaps she'd be in a different situation.

The route to Jubilife City was quite an exhausting one; it wasn't a long route per say, but the path climbed upwards, putting extra strain on the body. It wasn't just the physical activity that was draining; she had to battle three trainers along the way. Fortunately, the battles were rather easy and Turtwig handled himself with ease. This was the less-than-glamorous life of a trainer.

The gates leading to Jubilife City were quite unlike what she expected. She had assumed there'd be some golden archway or whatnot, but instead she had to enter through a gatehouse and pass security. Trainers dressed in black and white uniform stopped her from passing through and gestured to the security screens. "Sorry mam, but we just have to check your bags. Just walk through the screens."

She nodded, and walked through the screens just like the guard had instructed. She passed through without setting off the alarm and continued through to the city. After the events that had taken place in Hoenn a few years ago, officers all around Sinnoh decided to upgrade their security measures to the highest level to ensure the region was better protected from criminal masterminds.

The police let her through and Dawn soon found herself standing in Jubilife City. She found her surroundings rather intimidating – Twinleaf was a simple village. Jubilife City was at least ten times bigger than her hometown and far busier. It had been voted as the most modernized city in all of Sinnoh and it featured the region's television station, the Poketch Company, the Trainer's School and the Global Trade Station.

Dawn could easily spend a couple of weeks here exploring every building Jubilife had to offer, but she was eager to make progress in her journey. Besides, she could always come back here at a later date anyway. She made her way towards the northern part of the city, walking along a path of gravel, avoiding crashing into people when she spotted a suspicious man standing underneath a lamp pole. He was dressed entirely in black; black clothes, black sunglasses and he even had black hair and black shoes. Dawn approached him.

"Uh, hello?"

The man jumped, seemingly taken by surprise by the sound of Dawn's voice. "What? How did you know? How did you unmask me as a member of the International Police?!" the man yelped.

Dawn wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't have a clue – she didn't even know there was something called the International Police. "I was just saying hello?"

"Heh, you claim you were only making conversation, but I know better not to believe that. No, no, no. You recognized right away that I was someone extraordinary. That is why you spoke to me, is it not?"

Nope, that was definitely not the reason. "You looked suspicious. Everyone else is dressed in colours and running around the streets, and you're standing under a lamp pole dressed in shady clothing," Dawn explained.

The man muttered to himself. Dawn caught the words, 'black' and 'bad idea'. "Your power of observation is fearsome! Quite admirable, you are! Now that my cover has been blown, let me introduce myself. I am a globe-trotting elite of the International Police," he said. Dawn couldn't help but think this man was rather eccentric. "My name… Ah, no. I shall inform you only of my code name. My code name, it is Looker. Is it what they all call me. Incidentally, is the saying, "Don't be a thief' familiar to you?"

Dawn shook her head. "Sorry, never heard of it before."

He seemed surprised. "No? You claim to not know it? How could that be? Perhaps your mama has said it, but you have forgotten it, like usual?"

Had she just been insulted? His tone was passive, but his words sounded aggressive. Dawn took a step back. He might be a member of the International Police, but he was a strange character. Simply looking at him gave her a weird feeling. "Sorry."

"Now listen, my friend. It is wrong to take what belongs to others. Unfortunately, there are apparently those who do not heed those words. In Sinnoh, in fact, there are criminals stealing the Pokemon of others. Yes, we have security stationed around all entrances and exits of every city, but there will always be those who outsmart the system. You are aware of the events that took place in Hoenn, yes?"

Dawn nodded. The events that had almost ruined Hoenn had been on the news for a month. Team Aqua and Team Magma were both extreme environmentalists who wanted to gain control of a legendary Pokemon to fulfil their goals. Fortunately, they failed, defeated by a girl called May. Rumours of Team Rocket's resurrection in Johto were spreading throughout Sinnoh, and Dawn felt saddened. Why did criminals have to ruin the joy of being a trainer? "Yes, I heard about it on the news." And according to this strange man, there was trouble in her homeland as well. That was troubling news.

"I have, therefore, been on the lookout for characters arousing my suspicion. Incidentally, you are a trainer, yes? Perhaps you can make use of this?" He handed her a silver round device with a large screen on it. A camera? "That is a Vs. Recorder; it is a nifty device for recording a match. I obtained it because it is quite popular these days, but myself? I do not do Pokemon battling very often so it will be in better hands with you."

She put the item away. "Thanks."

He smiled briefly. "Also, I have a request. If you were to see me again, I ask that you do not talk to me, for I am on duty…. Actually, yes, yes, you may speak to me. You must!"

"Uh… ok then."

"Not because I am lonely, no, no! You must inform me of bad guys! You must inform me of any happenings!" he insisted.

Dawn took another step back, wondering if anyone else had noticed the strange man. "I'll be sure to," she said, hoping the man would just go away now and leave her be. Looker nodded, said his goodbyes and hurried down a dark alleyway, leaving Dawn feeling quite confused. Her mother had always said the world was quite dangerous, but she didn't expect to be introduced to such an eccentric character so early in her journey.

With Looker now out of the way, Dawn continued walking up the main street. She spotted the Pokemon Centre and Poke Mart nearby. Noticing Turtwig was on the brink of collapsing from all the walking and battling, Dawn picked her companion up and headed towards the Pokemon Centre. A red-headed nurse was standing behind the counter. Dawn walked up to her.

"Hello! How may I help you?" the woman greeted warmly. "Would you like to heal your Pokemon?" she added, glancing down at the Turtwig in Dawn's arms.

Dawn nodded. "That would be great, thank you."

The woman removed the Turtwig from Dawn's arms. "This will not take long at all. You are free to stand or you may sit down if you would like to rest." She turned away and disappeared into a room. Dawn decided to stand. She waited by the counter for what seemed like a couple of minutes when the nurse returned, a healthy Turtwig in her arms.

"Turtwig!" Dawn exclaimed, cuddling her friend.

The nurse smiled. "You can heal your Pokemon for free whenever you need to! We are open twenty fours, seven days a week. Goodbye trainer!" Dawn exited the Pokemon Centre and headed back out onto the main street. Her eyes rested on a building labelled 'Trainer's School'. "Hmm, a school for trainers," she mused. "I wonder if Barry will be there?" She moved towards the building then stepped inside

For a school, it was a lot smaller than what she imagined. Only ten students were present and the teacher, a middle-age man with a bald spot and wide-framed glasses, was sitting at a desk, scribbling down notes into a book. Some students were paying rapt attention, while others, such as the two girls sitting in front of her, were busy exchanging notes beneath the tables. The teacher looked up, caught Dawn's eyes and nodded. "The session is over, but you can still write down the notes on the board."

She thanked the teacher then looked around for a desk to sit at. Her eyes were drawn to the person with bushy blond hair sitting at the front, right in the middle. Barry. Dawn walked over and tapped him on the back. "What are you doing here?"

He jumped, caught by surprise. "Dawn!" He motioned for her to sit down. She took a seat in the empty table to his right. "If I want to be a good trainer, I need to understand the basics, right? Trainer's School is free for everyone! All you need to do is show your Pokedex to the teacher and you'll be allocated a time and a day for your session. As usual, you're late, but you can always sign up for a class a later date. You have to sign up with the teacher."

Dawn shrugged. She wasn't too concerned. After all, she already knew the basics thanks to the education programs on the television. Besides, she'd learn more hints and tips throughout her journey. "That's all right."

He glanced at the clock in the upper right hand corner of the room. "Would you look at the time? I better get going. You should head to Oreburgh City next, that's where the next gym is." He dug into his bag and pulled out a scrunched up piece of paper. "That's the town map. I've already got one so you can have this one. See you later!" Barry stood up and rushed out of the classroom.

With Barry gone, Dawn didn't see a reason to stay behind longer, so she left the building and set foot on the main road once again. She walked a couple of metres when she was interrupted by a man. "Hey there, trainer! We're running a promotion for the Poketch right now, and if you find the three clowns and receive all the coupons, you will be given one for free! Doesn't that sound great? We're only running this special promotion today though so you better obtain the coupons."

Poketch was said to be an essential item for a trainer and she wasn't going to turn down a free one. They were rumoured to be quite expensive. Besides, the professor had mentioned she needed one anyway for the trainer card app. Dawn walked around the streets until she found one of the first three clowns standing by the Poke Mart. He was dressed in a rather embarrassing outfit – a baggy brown polka-dot suit _Poor guy, must've been rather hot in there._

The clown turned to face her. "You want a coupon? Guess the question correctly and you'll receive one." He took in a deep breath and continued. "Does a Pokemon grow by defeating others and gaining experience points?"

Well, that was a rather easy question to answer. "Yes," answered Dawn.

"Correct! Here is your coupon!" He handed her a golden coupon.

Dawn walked around the streets again, searching for the next clown. Thankfully, with their funny outfits they were easy to spot in a busy crowd of people. The second clown was standing in front of the Poketch Company in the northwest corner of the city. Like the first clown, he greeted her with a broad smile. "I see you have a coupon. Here's the second question. Just like Pokemon types, do the moves also have types?"

She nodded. "Yes." There were specific moves for each type.

"Correct! Here's your second coupon, trainer." Dawn took the second golden coupon and moved away, as another trainer approached the clown. These questions were rather simple and Dawn wondered if they had produced too many Poketchs. The third clown stood in front of the Jubilife TV station building.

"Ah, another trainer!" He took note of the two golden coupons in her hand and grinned. "Just one more and you'll get a free Poketch! Here's the question, can a Pokemon hold an item?"

She assumed so. "Yes."

"Well done, trainer! You answered the three questions correctly! Here is your final coupon," he said, giving the final of the three coupons. "Just take it back to the director and you'll be given your Poketch. Good luck!" Dawn walked away, and returned back to where the company director was standing. His eyes met hers, a knowing smile on his face.

"Judging by the smile on your face, and the twinkle in your eyes, am I correct to assume you answered the three questions correctly?"

Dawn held up the coupons and gave them to the man. "Certainly did."

He took the coupons and handed her the Poketch device. It looked similar to her Pokedex, only this one was a silver colour and the text 'Poketch' engraved on the back. "I wish you all the best of luck in your journey, trainer. Perhaps one day you will become the Champion of Sinnoh." He waved goodbye and Dawn walked away.

Barry had mentioned the first gym was in Oreburgh City and Dawn currently only had one Pokemon. "I think I need a few more Pokemon," she told her Turtwig. "Three's a crowd, right?" Turtwig gave her an energetic nod. She wasn't too keen on heading back towards Sandgem though – instead, she wanted to continue moving forward and find wild Pokemon in between Jubilife and Oreburgh. "Are you ready, Turtwig?" Turtwig nodded again. Dawn took out her crumpled map, unfolded it carefully and examined it. "According to the town map, we need to head onto Route 203 in order to reach Oreburgh." She folded it, put it away and proceeded to move to the next destination.


	4. Drawn to the Dark

**Chapter Three: Drawn to the Dark**

Most trainers preferred living on the surface, but Roark found the world beneath the surface a whole lot more fascinating. He could spend hours down here, chipping away at the walls searching for rare fossils and rocks, but rock collecting was the last thing on his mind. He had come down here to vent his frustrations by smashing rocks.

"Riley this, Riley that…" he muttered, as his Onix slammed his tail into a rock, splitting it down the middle. Another rock destroyed. That brought the total to twenty five now. It did little to ease his troubled mind, but at least his Pokemon were growing stronger because of it. "I can't believe father offered the position to _him_ first!" Onix smashed another rock.

Riley was the owner of Iron Island, a former prosperous ore mine. It was now a place for trainers to come and train against some of the toughest wild Pokemon in the region. Only trainers who had proved themselves were allowed access to the underground reserve otherwise there'd be a severe overcrowding problem. Roark himself had trained his Pokemon there under the guidance of his father, Byron, the gym leader of Canalave City.

"I should been the number one choice!" he snapped. "Not Riley." Riley wasn't even a Rock-type trainer! He didn't specialize in a type element like a gym leader did, rather, he focused training Pokemon who had higher than average physical attack. He was a highly skilled trainer as Roark had discovered after he foolishly demanded a battle one Friday morning. The trainer's Lucario had annihilated his team within seconds. Had his loss been the reason why Riley was offered the position over Roark?

He felt a vibration in his pocket. Reaching down, he dug his hand inside, fingers curling around his Xtransceiver. He took out, answered it and brought it to his ear. "Roark, I've been calling you for the past few hours! Why didn't you pick up?" asked his father.

"I'm busy training."

He heard his father sigh. "We need to talk."

How he hated those four words. Every time his father mentioned it, he knew he was in for another long boring lecture. "There is nothing to be talked about! Why are you even calling me? Why don't you just call Riley instead since you seem to prefer him over me."

"Roark… I offered the position to Riley because he's old enough to handle the responsibility of being a gym leader."

So, his father didn't think he was mature or wise enough to handle the role. "I am old enough! I graduated from Trainer's School and the Rock Academy with the best marks!" Even his father knew that was difficult to achieve since the tests were quite difficult. The tests involved a mixture of both theory questions and practical activities to test how determined a trainer was. Trainer's School was just the start – the academy run by Alder in Unova, pushed students to the limits, and only the best would graduate with top marks. "I beat Roxanne and Brock for the Best Rock Trainer of the Year Award for the second time running."

"There is more to being a gym leader than earning top results, Roark. You are a smart kid, and a skilled trainer, but you do not yet understand what being a gym leader is all about. Riley does, and that's why I offered him the job."

Roark snorted. "I will win the next battle and then maybe you'll realize that I _do_ have what it takes to be a good gym leader!" He hung up on the Xtransceiver before his father could get in another word. _Parents,_ he thought bitterly, putting the item back into his pocket. Parents were always finding ways to make their children's lives miserable.

He turned back to the rocks again, and ordered his Onix to add another broken rock one to the pile.

.

Route 203 had been filled with quite a number of trainers and Dawn was relieved she had captured a Shinx and a Starly before venturing further. Turtwig was growing in strength with every battle, but even he could not hope to win all five matches in a row. She spent at least an hour or two training her new companions until they were strong enough to battle against other trainers. Once all the trainers were defeated, she returned to Jubilife to heal, purchased some much needed potions, and headed back onto Route 203 again.

Her journey through Route 203 was much easier this time. It didn't take her too long to reach the end where she found herself looking at another gatehouse, except this was built inside a mountain. She was about to enter when Barry burst through the cave entrance. "Barry? Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

"Are you ready to battle, Dawn?"

A battle before the cave gatehouse? Barry sure wasn't making progress easy for her. He had probably been waiting for this moment since his defeat to her a couple of hours ago. She was curious to see how much stronger he had gotten. Had his lessons at Trainer's School made him a better trainer? "I accept your challenge."

He grinned. "Go for it, Starly!"

"Go Shinx!"

Shinx and Starly stared at each other, waiting patiently for the order to attack. Barry made the first move, pointing his finger at Shinx. "Starly, use Quick Attack!" The avian jumped into the air, flew around in a circle then swooped, striking the feline on the head. Shinx hissed, and launched a counter attack, by slashing her claws at the bird's exposed belly.

Starly fell to the ground, wincing from the pain caused by the claws. "Okay Shinx, use Tackle!" Shinx leapt into action, pouncing on the avian, pinning the bird to the ground. The bird struggled to free itself, but the feline held it firmly in place.

"Starly, counter attack!" Despite being on the ground, the bird managed to strike back, kicking its talons in the feline's face. Shinx hissed again, reared on her claws and swatted at the air aimlessly. The Starly managed to wriggle free while Shinx regained her composure.

"Use Tackle again, Shinx!" The feline pounced again slashing at the avian's face. This time, the attack did enough damage to cause the bird to faint. Starly lay on its back, talons held up high, its eyes rolled back in its head. _Another victory for my team,_ thought Dawn. _But his Chimchar will be tougher to take down._

"Not bad, but I'm not going to let you win this one! You won't make it pass me until you win!" Barry exclaimed, retrieving his fainted Starly. He threw out his other pokeball. "Go Chimchar!"

Dawn knew using Turtwig would result in a very difficult battle since the monkey had a massive type-advantage. She was going to have to rely on her Starly and Shinx to win this one and hoped they were strong enough to withstand the monkey's attacks. "Shinx, use Tackle!"

"Chimchar, use Ember!" The monkey conjured a fire ball in hired right hand and hurled it forward. The ball hit Shinx in the face, causing the feline to stumble backwards, her eyes hurting from the flame. Still, Shinx tried to be a good fighter and attempted to strike back, but her temporary blindness made it difficult. Chimchar attacked again and before Dawn knew what was happening, Shinx collapsed.

She gritted her teeth and returned Shinx to her pokeball. It was up to Starly now. "Go, Starly!" The avian popped out of her pokeball and hovered in the sky, watching the Chimchar with weary eyes. "Use Quick Attack!"

"Chimar, use Ember!" The monkey hurled another fireball, but Starly was quick enough to narrowly avoid it by an inch. The bird brought her talons forward and raked the monkey in the face. Chimchar staggered backwards from the impact, temporarily leaving himself exposed.

"Use Quick Attack again, Starly!" Quick Attack was best used in moments like these – it wasn't a move that dealt a great deal of damage, but it could be the difference between winning and losing. Chimchar was struck once again, but the monkey was stronger than it looked, although Dawn could see signs of exhaustion appearing on his face.

"Chimchar, use Ember again!" Chimchar threw yet another fireball and this one managed to bring Starly down to the ground. The bird rolled around from side to side, trying to shake the flames off her body. While Starly was preoccupied with putting the flames out, Chimchar attacked, clawing the avian.

"Don't let him beat you, Starly! We're so close! Use Tackle!" Unfortunately, the bird had used up so much energy in putting out the flames that she could barely climb to her feet from exhaustion. Starly lay on the ground, breathing heavily and Dawn knew the fighting spirit had left the bird. She returned Starly to her ball. She glanced down at Turtwig. "It's up to you." Turtwig nodded, and moved forward.

"Use Ember!"

"Endure the flames, Turtwig!"

The fireball landed on Turtwig's back, enveloping the Pokemon in fire. Turtwig released a pained cry, the leaf on his back covered in flames. Dawn could only look on in horror, hoping she hadn't made a mistake of relying on Turtwig to win the battle. She regretted not catching any other wild Pokemon. The flames died down and surprisingly, Turtwig was still standing. He was black now, and his leaf atop his head gone, but the creature intended to carry on fighting.

"Turtwig, use Tackle!" The burnt Turtwig rushed forward and rammed into the monkey's side. Chimchar was a light-weight Pokemon and was easily toppled over by the much heavier Turtwig. Turtwig sat on Chimchar, using his entire weight to keep the fire monkey pinned down. The monkey's limbs flailed in all directions as it struggled to escape, but Turtwig would not budge.

Chimchar couldn't use Ember at such a close range so the monkey was limited to using Scratch only. He clawed Turtwig, but the tortoise's body was hard to penetrate, rendering the Chimchar's move as useless. "Oh, darn!" Barry exclaimed. Chimchar's energy was fading rapidly until the monkey could no longer fight.

"We did it!" Dawn exclaimed, throwing a fist into the air.

Barry retrieved his Chimchar. "What do you mean I lost again? Well, that's it! That's the last time I'll ever lose! I'm going to be the world's toughest trainer, and you know it! The first thing to do is take on the Oreburgh City Pokemon Gym! I'm gonna toughen up for that, totally!" Barry rushed away before Dawn could offer some advice.

"Well, I guess it's time to head on through to Oreburgh City."

She stepped through the cave, and was greeted immediately by a hiker standing at the entrance. He was red in the face and sweating profusely, looking as if he had just run a marathon. "You look like a tough trainer! By that determined look on your face, I suspect you're going to take on the gym leader."

Dawn nodded. "Yup, you're right. Uh, how do I reach Oreburgh?"

The hiker nodded. "Keep heading east. You'll come across two campsites, but the trainers aren't here at the moment. Come back in a day or two and you'll be able to challenge them to a battle."

"Okay, thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

The walk to the opposite site was thankfully a short one. Her legs were growing weary now. Sitting down for a couple of hours and having a meal was growing on her priority list. She exited the cave, immediately setting foot on a sandy path. Oreburgh was quite different from Jubilife – Jubilife was modern, with big fancy buildings and streets made of gravel, but Oreburgh was a simple mining place. There were no roads or any fancy modern buildings in this town. It lacked both colour and life. Aside from the usual Pokemon Centre and Poke Mart, there were only two places of importance – the gym, which was designed to look like a gigantic boulder, and the mining museum.

She headed down the path when a strong gust of wind blew past her, hurling sand grains into her eyes. Now she was covered in sand. With tears glistening down her cheeks, she hurried into the Pokemon Centre and shook herself, removing the grains from her clothing. Not all of them had been removed - some stubbornly stuck to clothes.

"You might want to put on a hiker's outfit on to withstand the elements here," a voice said. Dawn turned her head and spotted a young blonde lady dressed all in black, sitting by herself on the couch in the far eastern corner. _What was a woman like that doing in a place like this?_ "You can borrow one while you are here in this town. There's a changing room just to the right of the counter." She pointed to a clothes rack. Dawn spotted a thick jacket and some pants hanging.

"Thanks," Dawn said.

The woman smiled and said no more. She stood up and left while Dawn helped herself to the clothing items. Cradling the clothes, she made her way towards the changing room and changed out of her clothes and into her new ones. The hiking clothes didn't fit her physique; it seemed designed for a male instead, but it was only temporary. Before leaving the building, she took the opportunity to heal her Pokemon while she placed her old clothes into her bag. It took a few minutes for her Pokemon to be restored to peak health. All she had to do was hand over her pokeballs and the woman would place them in a special machine with a glass dome.

Dawn thanked the nurse and headed outside, and came face-to-face with the blonde lady from before. Leaning against the wall, she lifted her head up and gave Dawn a warm smile, then gestured to the gym, opposite to the Pokemon Centre. "The gym leader isn't home right now, but you can visit him down at the Oreburgh Mines. You can find the entrance to the south-east. Take care." The mysterious lady walked away. Dawn followed her instructions and made her way to the south eastern corner. A sign reading, 'Oreburgh Mines' was stationed a couple of metres away from the entrance.

Dawn flipped her hair over her shoulder and headed towards the mines. It took her a few minutes to reach the entrance, since it was only a couple of metres away from the Pokemon Centre. The air was stuffy, and it had a stench she couldn't quite explain in proper words. Being outside had been bad enough with the blowing sand, but this was worse. She felt dirty just by standing here. Thank Arceus for the miner's clothes otherwise her usual clothes would be covered in sand.

Fortunately, the road to the end of the mines was a short one and populated with various wild Pokemon. She had caught a Machop immediately after entering the mines. She recalled a show about type advantages and type disadvantages. A wise trainer made use of these moves. Fighting-type Pokemon were strong against rock-types. Considering this was a mining town, it didn't take a scientist to know the gym leader specialized in rock-types.

She found the gym leader (or at least suspected it was him since he dressed differently from the other miners) standing in front of a wall, smashing rocks with a giant serpent rock-like Pokemon behind him. The Pokemon was smashing the rocks with such intensity, the ground was shaking. Dawn wasn't sure whether she should approach him or not. He seemed agitated, judging by the scowl on his face. "Erm, hello?"

He jumped, startled by her voice. His expression softened. "Oh, hello."

"What were you doing to those rocks?"

He turned to the shattered rocks briefly then turned back to her. "Smashing them."

"It looks like a lot of fun."

He gave her a half-smile. "It's a good way to vent, but I'm sure you didn't come all this way to do just that. I could show you the best way method to smash boulders, but I won't share my tips unless you beat the gym leader first. That would be me! I'll see you at the gym. I hope you're ready trainer because I'm not easily beaten. I haven't been defeated in months and I don't intend to let another rookie obtain the badge so easily."

He returned his Pokemon to its ball and made his way back to the entrance, leaving Dawn feeling dumbfounded. The gym leader seemed like a real jerk. Was he as tough as he acted though or was it just all talk? Only one way to find out. She exited the mines and made her way over to the gym which fortunately was easy to spot. It was built out of rocks, fitting in quite nicely with the overall feel of the city. Taking in a deep breath, she entered the gym.

.

Upon entering, she was startled by a funny man dressed in mismatched brown striped clothes. He had a furry brown moustache and wore thick black-rimmed sunglasses which struck Dawn as strange since they were inside a building. He even wore brown shoes and brown socks to go with his overall brown-themed appearance. Had he purposely dressed this way to match the overall theme of the gym, or was he just the type of person who enjoyed wearing brown clothing?

"Hello trainer! I haven't seen your face before so I would be correct in assuming you are new? Well, in that case allow me to introduce myself! I'm Malcolm, the gym advisor of Sinnoh – my twin brother is the advisor in Johto. It's our job to make the lives of challengers that much easier by telling them all there is to know about the upcoming gym battles."

"I'm Dawn."

"Who is the trainer in your family if you don't mind me asking? It's always interesting to know where the trainer gene comes from." He chuckled lightly. Dawn frowned. "Did you know that a lot of trainers come from families with no competitive battling experience? The last kid who came here came from a family of breeders."

"My father is a trainer." Whether he was a good or a bad one, Dawn didn't know. Her mother hadn't said too much about it and Dawn had never asked.

"That's great news, Dawn! It makes me so happy that I'm going to throw in an extra tip for you. The home city of a gym usually represents the type of Pokemon you used, so make sure you pay extra attention to your surroundings because it will make the gym battle much easier," he chirped, giving Dawn a big smile. The guy either really loved his job or he was an excellent actor. Either that or he just liked smiling.

Dawn nodded. His words made sense. "How does a gym battle work?"

"Gyms are designed in a way to test the challenger. Finding your way to the end of the gym is a challenge in itself since each one is specifically designed to test the strength of the trainer. You see, gym battles aren't just about the Pokemon, it's about the mental and physical strength of the master."

She nodded again. Although he dressed in a bizarre manner, the man certainly knew his topic well. She wondered how many times he had given this speech. "Please, tell me more."

He readjusted his sunglasses. "You'll have to fight your way through the puzzle – there'll usually be a couple of trainers hiding in the gym to weaken your Pokemon before the real fight. They shouldn't pose too much of a problem though since the Pokemon they use are weaker than the gym leader's. Some of the trainers can be avoided, but I'd strongly suggest battling them for the bonus experience."

"Anything else?"

"Trainers may not intervene in the match unless it is absolutely necessary. You are allowed to give your Pokemon a healing potion during the battle, but there's a limit. You're restricted to five healing items. You can use as many status-healing items as you want, but you'll be sacrificing a turn if you do. Gym leaders can only use one healing item. It's better to ensure your Pokemon are strong enough to handle battles without having to heal – it gets pretty expensive if you're always purchasing healing items."

"Okay."

"If your Pokemon should find itself in a position it can't easily get out of, you may not help. You must either call your Pokemon back or let it faint. Those are the rules of a gym battle."

Sounded fair enough, but a little harsh. "Do you have any more advice?"

He looked thoughtful then shook his head. "Never give up! A Pokemon always has a weakness! You just have to find it and exploit it! Other than that, good luck Dawn! I hope to see a big smile on your face when you exit this gym!"

She stepped off the red carpet and made her way pass two Pokemon statues she didn't recognize.

Despite how big it looked from the outside, the gym's interior was small. She could already see the opposite end quite clearly and the paths leading to it. The gym was built on a gentle man-made slope – Roark was standing on the peak, while the gym trainers were on the lower levels in between columns of rock. One was standing on the middle and the other on ground level. Both trainers could be avoided but she wanted to fight them. Besides, she needed all the experience she could get if she wanted to become the next Champion of Sinnoh.

She approached the first trainer. There was a nametag on his clothes and it read in big bold letters, 'Jonathan.' He looked at her now after turning his blue cap backwards. "Don't think this battle is going to be easy just because I'm the first trainer!"

"I'm ready."

He smirked. Dawn noticed he only had one pokeball attached to his pokebelt. "Go Geodude!" A grey boulder Pokemon, with bulging, rocky eyebrows appeared from the ball. Trapezoidal brown eyes stared at her, as the creature punched the air with its muscular five-fingered hands.

Dawn pulled out her Pokedex to obtain information.

 _Geodude. At rest, it looks just like a rock. Carelessly stepping on it will make it swing its fists angrily._

She made a mental note to herself to always look before she stepped to make sure she didn't accidentally step on one. "Go Turtwig!" Grass-types were strong against rock-types as well. This battle should be an easy one, she thought.

Turtwig rushed forward immediately eager to jump into the fray. Although the turtle had been healed, the leaf on his head had not returned. Her poor Turtwig was a leafless one and she hoped it did not make it difficult to learn certain moves in the future. She could only hope he grew a new one in due time. Perhaps with more experience he'd grow a new leaf. Could he still use leaf based attacks? It didn't matter at the moment though since he wasn't experienced enough to use Razor Leaf, but he had learned the move Absorb.

"What's wrong with your Turtwig? Did he get his leaf burned off?" Jonathan teased. Dawn suppressed a growl. She'd let her Turtwig teach the boy a lesson. "Geodude, use Tackle!"

"Use Absorb!"

Tortoises were naturally slow creatures, but rock animals were even slower, so Turtwig moved first. Turtwig closed his eyes, and vibrated, until little glowing balls of yellow emerged from underneath his shell. The balls moved towards the Geodude, throwing themselves at its rock-hard armour, sucking the life force out of it. The balls returned to the Turtwig, hiding back underneath his shell. A faint earthly glow radiated from his shell. Somehow, he looked stronger and more confident.

Geodude, on the other hand, had fainted. Whatever the move had achieved, it had been super-effective. Dawn looked at her Pokedex again for information. Absorb was a Grass-type move that drained an opponent of health. She put it away again. That explained the easy victory. "Well done, Turtwig!" At this rate, this gym was going to be super easy. Barry was probably going to find it a difficult battle though since he had selected Chimchar as his starter.

Dawn moved passed the disappointed trainer and made her way up a staircase to find the next one. This boy dressed the same way as the previous one did and he too wore his cap backwards. His name was Darius and he had two pokeballs attached to his belt. "I see you made it past Jonathan. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but your journey ends here! Go Geodude!"

Another one? Hadn't the trainer been watching her battle with his friend? This wasn't going to be a Geodude gym right? "You can do this, Turtwig!" Turtwig nodded, lunging forward, preparing himself for another battle. Darius' Geodude used Tackle but like the previous battle, Turtwig was faster and therefore was able to attack before the other could land theirs.

Turtwig used Absorb again. The Geodude fainted, dropping to the ground, making the ground around it shake slightly. "Hmph, I see you've come prepared then. This next Pokemon won't be so easy though. Go, Onix!"

The same Pokemon Dawn had seen earlier in the mines stood before her now. It towered over her, black eyes peering down at her minuscule form. Size wasn't going to intimidate her though; she had a Turtwig on her side. She pulled out her Pokedex again to obtain more information for Rowan's research.

 _Onix. It burrows through the ground at a speed of fifty miles per hour while feeding on large boulders._

She put it away again. "Use Absorb, Turtwig!"

"Onix, use Tackle!"

Surprisingly, the giant Rock-creature moved first. Onix charged downwards in Turtwig's direction and succeeded, sending the small tortoise flying through the air. Turtwig hit the eastern wall hard, crumbling to the ground, landing on his belly. The tortoise picked himself back up, although he stood on shaky legs. Dawn winced. Now it was starting to get tougher, but the battle wasn't over yet. She had Absorb.

Turtwig used Absorb, draining Onix's health. The glowing balls seemed to restore Turtwig's own health because the grazes he had received had disappeared. Onix fell to the ground in a heap, its eyes rolled back into its head. Another victory for Turtwig, Dawn mentally cheered.

"Oh no… I lost…" Darius said, falling to his knees.

Dawn moved past him and made her way up the final flight of stairs. Roark's arms were crossed over his chest, lips pressed into a thin line, brows furrowed. Was he worried?

"Allow me to formally introduce myself before we commence battle. I'm Roark, the gym leader! I'm but one trainer who decided to walk proudly with rock-type Pokemon! As the gym leader, I need to see your potential as a trainer and I'll need to see the toughness of the Pokemon that battle with you! You may have a type-advantage, but don't let that make you think you've won this match." He had three pokeballs attached to his pokebelt.

"Are you ready, Turtwig? Let's show him what we can do!"

Roark summoned his first Pokemon. Not surprisingly, a Geodude appeared. He probably had an Onix as well. She wondered what the third one was. Another Geodude? Another Onix? "Geodude, Rock Throw!" The Geodude punched the ground, and scooped up some mud, rolling it around until it was a ball. It hurled the mud ball at Turtwig. Turtwig failed to dodge it and was hit in the face. Turtwig winced.

"Turtwig, use Absorb!"

The same strategy had worked extremely well on the last two Geodudes so naturally it ought to work well on this one as well. As she had predicted, Turtwig's Absorb brought the Geodude to a fainting state almost immediately. Roark wasn't upset by the quick loss; he was grinning. Why did he look so pleased? _He was losing badly,_ thought Dawn.

"Not bad, but you're not the only trainer who has got something to prove." He retrieved his Geodude and threw out his next one. "Onix!"

 _Not another one,_ Dawn thought. _Oh well, another easy round for me._ "Turtwig, use Absorb again!" It wasn't like she had any other attacks to use against the Rock-type Pokemon. Tackle would do little damage against their armour.

"Onix, use Rock Throw!" Onix swung at the ground with his tail, sending balls of mud flying at Turtwig. Turtwig failed to avoid the move and was struck in the side. He toppled over onto his side, and wriggled his legs in the air, in an attempt to roll himself back over. Dawn felt tempted to run over and push him onto his feet but that was a forbidden. All she could do was call him back and reuse him later if needed. She decided to test out her newly captured friend, Machop.

Her Machop knew two moves. Low Kick and Leer. "Machop, use Low Kick!"

Machop charged, jumped into the air, landing on the Onix's back. He kicked the Onix on the back of his head hard enough to prompt the Onix to sway from side to side. Despite her initial hesitance in catching the Machop, she was relieved she had caught one since his attack did significant damage against the Onix. The Onix fell to the ground and Machop leapt off to avoid being taken down with it. Only one Pokemon remained.

"Think you can take down my last Pokemon like you did to my previous two? Here's a warning, it won't be easy. Cranidos!" He threw out his final pokeball. A bipedal dinosaur-like creature appeared. Its underbelly scales were grey, while the scales on his back were blue. The Cranidos had a dome-shaped head, which reminded Dawn of an egg. His tail was quite short, but muscular. Dawn consulted her Pokedex.

 _Cranidos. A lifelong jungle dweller from one hundred million years ago, it would snap obstructing trees with headbutts_.

She put the Pokedex away. The Cranidos was obviously Roark's mascot Pokemon since he saved it for last. This was the true battle. Could her Pokemon win her the match or was she going to fail despite having a type-advantage? Only one way to find out.

"Cranidos, use Headbutt!"

Cranidos charged forward, ramming his head into Machop. Machop was driven into the eastern wall, so roughly, a crack had been made. Cranidos took a few steps back, looking slightly shaky after using the attack. Machop fell onto the ground, face first, but fortunately the Pokemon picked himself up again. The fighting spirit hadn't been dimmed.

"Use Low Kick!"

Machop took a running leap, and jumped into the air, kicking the dinosaur in the face. Cranidos staggered backwards, and shook his head violently, as if trying to remove something off his head. He recovered and charged again, using another Headbutt. Machop was driven into the wall once more, once again having the wind knocked out of him. Still, he remained on his feet, standing on shaky legs.

Roark rushed over to his Cranidos and gave it a potion, but Dawn decided to risk it by not using one. A Pokemon couldn't attack immediately after having its health restored so Dawn had a chance to attack first this time. "Use Low Kick again, Machop!" Machop repeated the same move and kicked the Cranidos in the head. Cranidos staggered backwards.

"No way! Not yet! Not giving up!" Roark exclaimed. His Cranidos was panting now, looking rather sore. Continuous head rams surely couldn't be good for long-term battling.

"Just hang in there, Machop!"

"Use Headbutt, Cranidos!"

Cranidos lowered his head again, and charged, ramming into Machop. His attack seemed less intense than the previous Headbutt – Cranidos almost tripped over his own two legs after using it. Machop unfortunately, couldn't withstand another one and fainted. She recalled her Machop and sent out Turtwig again. Cranidos was tiring quickly. Headbutt hit hard, but strong attacks were draining.

"Finish this, Turtwig! Use Absorb!"

The glowing balls clung to Cranidos, draining him of his last remaining energy reserves. He flopped to the ground. "W-what? That can't be! My buffed-up Pokemon!" Roark wailed.

Dawn threw a fist into the air. "We won! I can't believe we actually won our first badge!" she cheered, running over to scoop up Turtwig into her arms. Turtwig rubbed his face affectionately against Dawn's.

Roark sighed. "This is embarrassing… I went and lost to a trainer who didn't have a single gym badge… but that's tough. I guess my father was right… I still have much to learn about being a gym leader… You were strong and I was weak. That's all there is." He recalled his fainted Pokemon and walked over to stand directly in front of Dawn. "According to Pokemon League rules, I have to give you our gym badge since you've beaten me, the leader. Here's your official Pokemon League Coal Badge."

The Coal Badge was a simplistic item shaped like a mushroom, but designed to bear resemblance to a pokeball, only it was coloured brown and steel blue, instead of red, black and white. She put the badge into her bag, and made a mental note to purchase a badge box the next time she visited the Poke Mart. "Thanks!"

"In this region of Sinnoh, there are seven other gym leaders. I should warn you – they're a lot tougher than I am!" Dawn turned to exit but Roark spoke again. "You'll be able to trade your Pokemon for new ones now. Just visit the Pokemon Centre and head down to the basement. By the way, what is your name? I'd like to have a rematch against you when we're both stronger."

"I'm Dawn."

Roark pulled out his contact card and handed it to Dawn. "Give me a call when you are ready. You've taught me something valuable today Dawn. I won't forget you. Good luck, your remaining gyms will be far more challenging than this. Choose your Pokemon wisely and you'll go far." He waved her goodbye.

She made her way back to the entrance where the gym advisor stood. He winked. "I knew it. I knew you'd win. My tips did help you, didn't they?"

"Yes, they did."

She left the building as the gym advisor continued to gush over her win. Healing up her Pokemon was now her main priority so she headed back to the Pokemon Centre.

.

Trading Pokemon was a simple process. All she had to do was select a computer, enter her trainer card details and log into the server. After logging in, she was taken to a list of names and the Pokemon they were offering to trade. She sorted the list by their type, finding that filter easier to navigate.

A boy named Silver from Johto was offering up a newly caught Gastly for trade. He didn't care what he received in return since he stated he planned on trading it for something else anyway. Dawn didn't like the vibe the boy was emitting, but a Gastly looked to be a promising addition to her team. The kids in her town were scared of ghosts, and often shared stories about them around the fire, but Dawn wasn't afraid of them. She hovered the cursor over his name and clicked.

"Would you like to make a trade with Silver?" the message read.

Dawn clicked yes. A new pop-up window appeared.

"What Pokemon would you like to offer? Please place the ball in the slot machine."

Since Silver didn't care what Pokemon he received, Dawn didn't have to be selective. She placed Starly in the Pokemon slot machine and waited for Silver's response. A few moments later, the slot machine switched on and made a gentle whirring noise. Her pokeball was sucked into the machine like a vacuum cleaner, replaced seconds later with a new pokeball. There was a message attached to it.

It read, 'This Gastly won't listen. Good luck trying to train it… if you can, chump.'

She couldn't hear his voice, but the tone of his words suggested hostility. He probably thought she was some weakling incapable of raising a Pokemon. Dawn attached the ball to her pokebelt and returned her attention to the machine. She still had two other Pokemon she wanted to trade. Parting with them sad unfortunate, but at least they were local and easily obtainable, if she decided she wanted them again. Catching her own Pokemon to raise was exciting, but earning the love of a Pokemon abandoned from another one was more appealing.

She searched through the menu again hovering her cursor over a woman called Karen. "Isn't she an Elite Four member from the Indigo League?" Dawn said aloud. It was strange seeing a Pokemon offered up by an Elite Four member. The lady was a dark-type specialist and she was offering a newly hatched Murkrow for trade.

"My Murkrow has been laying eggs and I decided to offer them up for a trade," read the message on the screen. "I'll take any Pokemon you have to offer." _She was probably going to trade them with someone else like Silver planned too,_ she thought. This time, she offered her Shinx. Moments later, she received her Murkrow. As with the Gastly, there was a message with it.

This one read, "Murkrow will only evolve when exposed to a Dusk Stone. Do take care of him!"

She attached the Murkrow to her belt and searched for her final traded Pokemon. So far, she had a grass-type, a ghost-type and a dark and flying-type fusion on her team. There were so many other types available to her that it was difficult to choose which one to take. She scanned the list, searching for something that appealed to her. Her eyes rested on a baby dragon called Deino, which was being offered up by a man called Ghetsis.

She looked at his avatar. He was sneering in the picture. Another Silver? "I wonder why you are offering Deino up for a trade…" She had heard little about the dragon thanks to the wonders of television. Deino were native to Unova and considered hard to find and difficult to train due to their temperament and typing. It was a dark dragon-type. She didn't really need another dark-type on her team, but she wanted the dragon since dragons were powerful. Besides, the challenge of raising one would make her a better trainer in the long run.

"Who is brave enough to take responsibility for this Deino? I have already raised one to his final evolution – can you handle it? Only a trainer with a liking for the dark can tame this mighty dragon. I'll accept any of your weakling Pokemon and I will make them strong. Your Pokemon will be in good hands, heh heh heh." She could almost imagine the man cackling like person possessed on the other end.

The man sounded a little unstable, but Deino was a typing she wanted. She offered her Machop for the trade. Seconds later, she received her Deino. As with the previous two Pokemon, this one had a message attached to it.

"Embrace the darkness."

 _Weird man,_ Dawn thought. She hoped her Machop was truly in good hands otherwise she'd feel like guilty for parting with him, especially since he aided her in obtaining her first badge. She attacked Deino to her pokebelt and logged out of the server, and exited the building. "Where to next?" she wondered aloud then remembered she had to change back into her old clothes. "I guess I'll just ask around… I should've asked Roark…"


	5. One Step Closer

Thanks to Mor33gan for reviewing the previous chapter. It's been awhile since I last updated, but I'm just not here much anymore.

 **.**

 **Chapter Four: One Step Closer**

The return journey from Twinleaf Town to Veilstone City had taken a little longer than Cyrus had assumed; as soon as he set foot before the entrance of the building, he was swarmed by his four loyal commanders. They looked at him as a young child looked at their parent, their eyes full of adoration and respect, patiently waiting for their next order. A lady with bright red hair stepped forward first.

"Boss! Where have you been? I was so worried about you! I thought you may have run into trouble along the way or something!" Her name was Mars and she was the youngest of his commanders, only having recently turned twenty a couple of days ago. She loved her boss wholeheartedly and would do anything to earn his respect, even if it meant placing her own life in danger.

He looked at Mars, giving her a vacant look. "I'm fine."

A male with a deep shade of blue hair stepped forward too. "Where'd you go anyway, boss? It's not like you to just get up and leave without telling us first!" His name was Saturn, and like Mars, he was willing to carry out any order Cyrus gave. He was only two years older than Mars, making him the second youngest in the team of commanders. The trio looked at him with expectant looks.

The commanders weren't going to move out of the way without getting an answer first. Cyrus could easily push them out of the way, but they would only follow him around until he gave in. They idolized him so much they just had to know every single detail of his day to day activities, even if they had to annoy him in the process. So why not fire them and recruit new commanders? The commanders had sworn an oath to serve him until death… or until he freed them from their oaths. Besides, firing them would mean wasting more time in training new recruits and that cost money and time.

He sighed. "If you must know, I went fishing down at Lake Verity." The commanders were loyal to him, but it didn't mean he had to express the same loyalty towards them. They were so foolish that they believed every word he said. Of course, every word he said was a lie, but the commanders weren't aware of that yet. They were blinded by their love for him.

"Fishing? I didn't think you were into fishing, boss," Saturn said, frowning.

"You know, my father used to take me fishing when I was young. We could go fishing together sometime!" Mars stated. "My Purugly is really good at catching fish! So, did you catch anything?"

So foolish, so gullible. Sometimes Cyrus wondered why he had bothered to hire these idiots, but then he remembered they were the only ones who passed the tests to earn a place. The rest of the grunts were so stupid the majority of them couldn't even read yet. They were just there to do the dirty work. "No." Mesprit had chosen not to reveal itself, but Cyrus knew it was down there somewhere, lurking at the bottom of the lake. He needed to capture the legendary – something so powerful could help him achieve his goals, but a few things needed to be dealt with first before he reached that level.

Mars frowned. "That's a shame boss, maybe next time you'll catch something?"

Meaningless conversation. His patience was beginning to wear thin. "Perhaps." He paused briefly then spoke again, turning to address Mars first. "I have tasks that need to be carried out. Mars, you will be stationed at the Valley Windworks to harness the energy needed for our vision to become a reality."

Mars nodded, satisfied. "You can count on me, boss."

He wasn't too sure about that, but Mars knew the layout of the Valley Windworks better than anyone else in his company since she came from Floaroma Town. He turned to Jupiter, the other female in his leadership team. "Jupiter, you will be stationed at our base in Eterna City."

Jupiter frowned. "Great. So I'm on guard duty then. Why do I never get the fun jobs?" she complained.

There was a good reason for that. Jupiter didn't seem as loyal towards him as the other commanders did so Cyrus punished her by giving her the least exciting jobs. "Your job is to draw attention away from the rest of your commanders' dealings so they can carry out their tasks without disruption from the authorities. I would prefer not have to deal with Sinnoh's gym leaders and the Champion herself. Do what you must."

"I can do anything then?"

"Yes."

She smiled. "I'll take a fair portion of the grunts before I go."

"What about me, boss?" Saturn said.

"You will be heading to Pastoria City to lead a group of grunts to take over the nearby lake. Do not cause trouble until I give you the word, is that understood, Saturn?"

Saturn nodded. "Yes, boss."

Cyrus turned to the final commander. Charon was the eldest member of the group and well into his sixties already, but he was also the most junior member of the group, having only been a member for less than a year. "You will accompany Mars on your first mission. Think of this as an introductory session to your role as a commander. Do not attempt to take control from Mars – this is her job, not yours. You will learn to stand alone when the time is right."

The old man nodded. "I will not disappoint."

Sometimes Cyrus didn't trust the man. He seemed to have his own agenda, but whenever Cyrus inquired, the man simply said he wanted to learn more about Rotom. For now, the man had his uses – he had a brilliant technical mind and could solve problems not even Cyrus himself could. He did not want the man unsupervised. Mars seemed displeased with the arranged partnership (since the original trio didn't like the man at all), but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work," Cyrus ordered.

.

Re-entering the gates of Jubilife City brought her a great sense of relief. The air was clean here and she didn't have to worry about getting attacked by grains of sand every second. Everything was much cleaner here and far more exciting to explore. She noticed the clowns were still around, chasing locals and tourists alike to take the quiz.

Dawn shook her head, an amused smile on her face. The clowns were certainly determined, but surely it must be hot and stuffy inside those costumes? The miner's clothes were bad enough but she couldn't even begin to imagine how uncomfortable it must be to wear a clown costume. She continued walking along the streets, this time heading in a northerly direction.

"…Give that back! It's not yours!"

"Finders keepers!"

The unmistakable sounds of a fight brewing caught her attention. Dawn rushed towards the source of the noise and was surprised to see Professor Rowan and Lucas standing across from two funny grunts with horrible bowl haircuts. They were dressed in such strange costumes, Dawn wasn't sure if this was a staged act. Perhaps they were hired performers?

"Professor Rowan? Lucas? What's going on here?" she said, approaching the two males cautiously, keeping her eyes trained on the two people wearing funny clothes. They looked like astronauts almost… with terrible haircuts. Whoever had designed their uniforms had a poor taste in fashion. Her mother would have a heart attack if she was here now since the woman had love for all things fashion.

"Ah, Dawn! You're just in time!" Professor Rowan exclaimed.

"I won my first badge!"

He smiled warmly. "Well done, Dawn. I knew you could do it."

"Hey! Stop talking old man! You better tell us what this journal is about otherwise we'll tear it in half!" the first grunt said. He held up a brown journal before his face, threatening to destroy the book in two.

Professor Rowan wagged a finger in their faces. "Quiet, you lot! Why must you be such a nuisance? Let me list some lessons you still need to learn. One, don't loiter around for no good reason. Two, don't interrupt others while they are attempting to converse. Three, if you don't get your way, don't raise your voice to be intimidating. Four, don't think you've grown strong just because you're in a group. Five, what is with those outlandish outfits you have on? My goodness… You call yourselves adults?" He turned back to Dawn and Lucas. "You kids, don't grow up to be like these sorry specimens."

The grunt holding the journal frowned. "He's not taking us seriously! You're the one that needs to be taught a lesson, old man!"

His companion stepped forward, his fingers clasped around a pokeball. "We're from Team Galactic and we only listen to the boss! Get ready for a battle, old man, we're bringing you down!" the second one crowed.

"You kids give these thugs a lesson in civility, please," the professor said, taking a few steps back from the fight.

Lucas looked at Dawn. "Are you sure you handle this?"

Dawn hated the way the boy looked at her as if she were some incompetent trainer. He might have been a trainer for longer than she had, but it didn't mean he had to be so rude. "Of course I am." Turtwig was the logical choice, but she wanted to train up her new friends. They had yet had a chance to battle.

The grunts sent forth a Pokemon each. One was a purple coloured skunk and the other a type of feline. Dawn consulted her Pokedex for additional information. She aimed it in the direction of the skunk first.

 _Stunky. It sprays a foul fluid from its rear. Its stench spreads over a mile radius, driving Pokemon away._

 _Gross,_ thought Dawn. She hoped the creature didn't spray anything during the battle. Turning the Pokedex again, she faced it towards the next Pokemon.

 _Glameow. It hides its spiteful tendency of hooking its claws into the nose of its trainer if it isn't fed._

Another nasty Pokemon. The grunts had a taste in Pokemon equally bad as their fashion sense.

"Go Piplup!" Lucas said, throwing out his only pokeball. A blue baby penguin appeared.

Dawn reached for her first Pokemon and hurled it out onto the ground. Murkrow flew around in circles cawing loudly. This was Murkrow's first battle. Would the bird listen to her? She looked at the bird, trying to show no signs of nervousness. The bird seemed to be listening at the moment, but it was a new Pokemon. "Murkrow, use Pursuit!" The small avian conjured a small orb of dark energy and sent it forth. The ball hit the Glameow, but the cat didn't seem that troubled by it.

"Piplup, use Bubble!" Lucas' penguin blew a few bubbles from its mouth, which formed together to create a much larger bubble. It moved towards the Stunky, popping when it made contact with the skunk's face. The skunk winced, as water splashed into its eyes.

"Stunky, use Fury Swipes!"

"Glameow, use Scratch!"

The cat attacked first, pouncing on Piplup, slashing the penguin in the face. Piplup staggered backwards, almost falling over in the process. Stunky attacked soon afterwards, running around in circles around Piplup, stopping every couple of seconds to swipe a claw at its face. The poor Piplup was overwhelmed by the combined force, but somehow managed to stay on its feet.

"Murkrow, use Peck!" Murkrow swooped down towards Stunky, striking the skunk on its head. Stunky winced, turned around and stuck up its tail, emitting a foul-smelling gas from its rear end. Dawn brought a hand to her stomach, feeling a sudden queasiness overcome her mind. The stench reminded her of the time she accidentally dropped a rotten egg on the ground while playing a game of 'egg and spoon' with the neighbours. "Oh my… that is so… bad…" she gagged, lurching over, staring at the ground. Her stomach did a somersault. Her Murkrow looked ready to faint from the overpowering stench.

The grunt snickered. "You think you're so good because you have a badge? Pah! Tell that to the boss! Gym badges don't mean a thing to Galactic! The only thing we care about is making the world a better place!" He thrust a finger forward. "We don't need weaklings like you in our world."

Before Dawn could argue back, she lurched forward and lost her breakfast all over the spot in front of her. Gross… and totally humiliating. Professor Rowan was probably going to regret having given her a Pokemon now. She tried to pick herself back up, but her body refused to obey her. Instead, she remained hunched over, squeezing her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to look at her breakfast.

"Let's get out of here before she makes us sick."

"What about the journal though?"

"What about it? We can't read. I'm sure the boss already knows all this stuff because he knows everything. We can't be here for much longer – we were supposed to be buying the boss' favourite coffee beans from the shop. Come on; let's get out of here while we have the chance!" The grunts retrieved their Pokemon and ran away before anyone could stop them, throwing the journal aside right into… Dawn's pile of vomit.

Dawn vomited again, this time spilling her stomach contents over her shoes. Not exactly the impression she wanted to leave on Professor Rowan and Lucas. Lucas now had a good reason to despise her for showing weakness during an important battle. It was a good thing the grunts couldn't read though otherwise she'd feel even worse if they ran off with the book. She still felt bad though since the professor's hard work was covered in her vomit.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She was well aware they were looking at her, probably with hatred and disgust. Bringing her hands to her eyes, she wiped the tears away and ran down the street, heading in no clear direction at all. All she wanted to do was hide her shame from the world. She turned down into a deserted alley and collapsed to the ground in a heap, bringing her knees to her chest as she wept.

.

Fool, said a voice in the back of her head. The voice had no identifiable face, but Dawn knew the voice. It belonged to her. The voice was mocking her for her stupidity, for her show of weakness, and it continued to mock her. Dawn rocked back and forth, hands covering her ears, wishing the voice would stop tormenting her. "Go away…" she said.

You call yourself a trainer? Trainers are strong. You are anything but strong, the voice continued to mock. More tears slipped down Dawn's cheeks, as she struggled to fight off the demon in her head. She reached down and released her Turtwig from its pokeball, hoping to silence the monster. Turtwig rubbed his head against Dawn's legs.

"I'm sorry… I failed you," Dawn whispered.

Turtwig shook his head.

"I know you are trying to be kind, but I'm not worthy of you."

Turtwig tilted his head to the right, giving his trainer a puzzled look.

"I failed to beat a thief."

She wouldn't be surprised to know there were more Galactic grunts causing trouble all across the region. What did they want and why were they causing trouble now? Her mother was probably worried sick about her daughter. No doubt Professor Rowan would inform her mother and tell her it was a mistake entrusting Dawn with a Pokemon. He'd explain she wasn't yet mature enough to handle herself.

"Dawn? Is that you?"

She jerked her head up at the mention of her name. Turning her head to the right, she spotted Lucas frowning at her. For once, he did not look in her direction with disgust, but rather with concern. He walked towards her then sat down. Dawn averted her gaze. "Don't look at me." Her face was swollen, her cheeks a shade of red. She looked like a pitiful person right now.

He continued to look at her. He seemed uncomfortable, as if unsure of how to act around a crying girl. Fortunately, for Lucas' sake, the professor arrived. "Do not cry, Dawn. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

She peered up. "Nothing to be ashamed of? I lost the battle for us," she blurted out, a new flood of tears running down her cheeks.

"It was your first battle against a Stunky. You handled being gassed better than most people," the professor pointed out, looking down at Lucas for some support. "I've seen a handful of trainers faint on the spot."

Lucas nodded. "He's right you know. Every trainer gets gassed by a Stunky at one point in their lives. I got gassed once and even the professor did when he was young. He told me all about it after I got gassed," he explained. "I was playing in the forest with my Pokemon and I accidentally stepped on a Stunky's tail. You can imagine how that ended."

Dawn mustered up a smile. The thought of Lucas, the guy who didn't seem to like her much at all, getting gassed in the face by a Stunky was amusing. She looked to the professor. "What about your journal though? It's destroyed now."

He shrugged. "No matter, all the information is stored on my computer. The journal was used for taking down notes, but we can always find a new book. At least the Galactic members weren't able to make use of it. A vomit covered book is of no use to anyone." He chuckled. He reached down a hand and Dawn took it, helping herself to her feet.

"You shouldn't be too hard on yourself, Dawn. You are a starting out trainer – do not feel like you shouldn't express your emotions. It's not healthy to bury them," the professor advised. "Feeling is what makes us alive. It allows us to care for other people and our Pokemon. If we were unable to feel, there would be no love and no joy in the world. Wouldn't that be a horrible place to live in? Crying is not a weakness, Dawn."

Lucas dug a hand into his bag and handed Dawn a couple of tissues. "Use these. It's better than using your hands."

Dawn thanked him and dabbed at the tears underneath her eyes. At least the professor wasn't disappointed in her.

"You've handled yourself incredibly well, Dawn. I'm proud of you," the professor said, beaming a smile in her direction. "Most trainers usually have someone in the family that can advise them on the road to becoming a good trainer, so you've done well to make it this far without any experience to fall back on."

Dawn nodded, and wiped away a few more tears. "I wish my father was around to show me the way…" she said softly. "Did you know him?" If anyone knew anything about him, the professor would. He was much older than herself and probably met the guy on a couple of occasions. "My mother won't say anything."

There was an awkward silence. Lucas didn't appear to know anything about Dawn's parents, but the professor looked like he knew something. She frowned. He tugged at his moustache. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but you have the right to know." He looked at her directly. "I know your father… well, at least, I knew him for awhile. He left before you were born, Dawn."

"He's alive, then?" Her face brightened. Her mother had told her the guy had died. Did she know he was alive? Or had she lied to keep Dawn from learning the truth? But why would she lie? Her mother wasn't the type.

The professor looked uncomfortable. This obviously wasn't the discussion he imagined having. He continued to fiddle with his moustache. "You do not need to worry about him, Dawn. Yes, he's alive, but I do not know where he is. I haven't seen him since the day he left your mother. It was I who introduced him to your mother…if I had known this was going to happen then I wouldn't have taken pity on him and…" He stopped suddenly, frowning then shook his head. "Forgive me, it is not my place to speak of this. You should ask your mother sometime."

"I'm going to find him."

"You should be focusing on becoming the strongest trainer in the region, Dawn," Lucas pointed out. "I know you want to find him, but you won't get very far in the region without strong Pokemon."

True. She needed to become stronger. She wanted to leave a good impression on him so he could be proud of her. "You're right. I need to strengthen my team." Had he abandoned her because he was worried she was going to turn out to be a failure? Or had there be some other reason for it? She scrunched up her soggy tissues and placed them in her bag. "Thanks for everything."

"Remember my words, Dawn."

She nodded. "I will, Professor Rowan."

"You should head to Eterna City next for your next badge. You'll have to make a stop by Floaroma Town first, but I'm sure you'll find that place relaxing. You can find directions on your map. If you ever find yourself needing someone to talk to, you know who to call. Good luck, Dawn."

Lucas didn't say anything, but he did nod. The two males walked away leaving Dawn on her own. "Are you ready to carry on, Turtwig?" she said, smiling at her friend. Turtwig seemed happier now that his master did and made a happy grunting noise. Dawn chuckled. "I take that as a yes then."

 _._

Cyrus had been hoping the rest of his day would feature no interruptions, but he wasn't always so lucky. Two grunts came bursting through his door, filling the air with their annoying nasally voices. He turned around, glowering, annoyed by the interruption. It wouldn't be a normal day without someone messing up something. "I hope there is a good reason for your intrusion?"

"Boss! Guess what happened? We ran into some old man and his assistant and we beat them to a pulp!" the first grunt exclaimed, his dark eyes shining with amusement.

"And then this dainty girl showed up and tried to be tough, but she couldn't handle the stench and vomited all over the place!" The grunts exchanged high-fives. "It was hilarious, boss!"

Cyrus did not share their amusement. So the grunts had sunk to an all time low where they harassed old men and made fun of young children. "That was a good way to bring unnecessary attention to themselves. "I did not give you the order to annoy community members. I simply asked you to purchase some coffee beans… must I always do everything myself?" he snapped, briefly losing his cool for a moment. He quickly regained his composure though and took in a deep breath.

The amused smirks on the grunts' faces faded. "We thought you would be pleased… it was Professor Rowan, you know, the famous guy on television?"

Cyrus knew who Professor Rowan was. He was the man who had been responsible for introducing Johanna to him when he was a teenager. It was because of the old man that he had experienced his first taste of-no. Reflecting on the past only invited unpleasant memories to play in his mind. Only the future mattered. "I know who Professor Rowan is. What other news do you have to report?"

"Well, the girl had blue hair."

Blue hair wasn't a common colour in this part of the world. Other than himself, he knew only two other people who had the same colour. There was Saturn, but there was no chance he'd be related to this girl. Cyrus had checked to ensure Saturn had no children, nor partner, before recruiting him. That left only one person – Johanna. The woman had mentioned she had a daughter in the previous conversation, the one she didn't want Cyrus to encounter. "This girl with the blue hair. What can you tell me about her?"

The grunt frowned, puzzled by the request. "She's a girl. She has a Murkrow. I think she's just started on her journey so I'd say she's probably between the ages of ten and twelve."

Between the ages of ten and twelve… blue hair… just started her trainer's journey… Wait. At Lake Verity he had crossed paths briefly with a blue-headed girl. She had to be Johanna's daughter. _His_ daughter. She was the right age and happened to be living near Lake Verity. No one else from the major cities would ever bother visiting since it was in the quieter, less populated part of the region.

"Boss?"

"Leave me."

The grunts exited the room. If the girl was on her quest to become the next Champion, there was bound to be a chance he would run into her again. Most likely, she had obtained her first badge since she had a Murkrow and Murkrows couldn't be found in Twinleaf Town nor around that area. The next gym was in Eterna City and there was a good chance he'd meet her there if he left now. Would she become a good trainer? Could she… could she possibly see the world from his point of view and understand the world needed to change? Or would she prove him wrong? He was curious now.

He stood up from his table and left the room. He took a couple of steps towards the staircase when Saturn entered his line of vision. "Boss? Where are you going?"

"Why haven't you left yet?"

Saturn shrugged. "I was packing my bags." He tilted his head to the left, furrowing his brows.

The commander was probably going to follow him around if Cyrus didn't provide him an answer since they were that devoted to him. "I'm going to visit Eterna City. The statues there fascinate me. I want to learn more about them."

Saturn nodded. "All right then, boss. I hope you find what you're looking for." He turned down the stairs and disappeared from his view.


	6. Truth and Lies

Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter

.

 **Chapter Five: Truth and Lies**

Mars never liked Charon; the old man could simply not be trusted. He always seemed to have some ulterior motive that didn't match up with Cyrus's own, yet the boss seemed to trust him. Cyrus trusted Charon over the original three commanders – Charon was the only one allowed to tinker with the boss's machines. Mars didn't trust Charon and neither did Saturn and Jupiter. Of course, she couldn't tell Cyrus about her suspicions otherwise he'd think she was showing weakness by allowing herself to be overcome by feelings of jealousy.

"You have to do as I say," Mars said, not even sparing a glance in the man's direction.

"You don't like me very much do you." Charon mused. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Mars forced a dry laugh to leave her throat. "What makes you think that?"

"You refuse to make eye contact with me. You seem uncomfortable being in my presence… You do not express these signs when you're around Cyrus, and I wonder why that is? Hmm." He rubbed his chin in mock thought.

Mars's lips tightened. She had to focus on the job ahead, not get drawn into an argument with Charon. "You're right. I don't like you. You shouldn't even be a commander because you haven't had to prove yourself," she said heatedly.

His grin widened. "You shouldn't allow those petty emotions rule your mind, Mars… Haven't you listened to a word Cyrus has said?" Charon paused then continued on. "Not that I blame you for not listening since he can be a real bore at times."

No one mocked the boss. Mars halted, turned around, and glared. "You're not allowed to speak of him that way," she snapped.

"Your devotion to him is interesting, I must say," Charon murmured, running his thumb across his lower lip. "Tell me, Mars. Why have you pledged your services to Cyrus? Do you not realize he is just using you? Or perhaps I have mistaken your devotion for admiration, lust maybe? Correct me if I am wrong."

Mars scowled. "If you think I'm in love with the boss then you're sadly mistaken." She turned away. The smirk on the man's face added to her already agitated state. The man was enjoying this. He wanted to make her squirm. "He saved me. He gave me a chance at a better life," she said softly after a few moments of silence.

It had been three years ago when Cyrus entered her life. Mars had a couple of weeks grieving for the loss for her parents. Her mother abandoned her and her father died of an unknown affliction. Perhaps he had died because of a broken heart? She found a way to cope with the pain, but it was only a temporary solution. Digging into the flesh on her wrists was oddly calming. The pain gave her something else to focus on. It became an addiction – pain was something she began to crave.

That's when he found her, kneeling before his father's headstone, clutching a bloodied arm to her chest. He approached her in the pouring rain, reached out a hand, and promised to heal her pain if she joined him. Mars had been reluctant at first, but the fear of being alone drove her to accept his offer. She no longer resorted to inflicting pain on herself, but chose to unleash it on others instead.

"You don't even know what his endgame is."

She glowered. "Do you?"

He smirked. "Of course. He hasn't shared with me the exact details, but I've put the pieces together. I am the one responsible for helping him understand what he needs to do to ensure his foolish plan becomes a reality. The man claims to despise emotions yet emotion is the very thing that motivates him. Do you not see?" He stepped forward suddenly and grabbed her arm, his grip unrelenting. Mars tried to pry his fingers off but he would not release. "You are placing trust in the wrong person. You're a smart girl, Mars."

"You know nothing about me," she spat.

He twisted her arm gently, running a finger down the scars on her wrist. "Ah, but I do. You and I are more alike than you think. We are both drawn to pain – there is something beautiful in suffering, isn't there?" He brought a free hand forward, and cupped her chin with it, gazing deeply into her eyes. A chill raced down her spine. "What is it you truly desire, Mars?"

She looked back into eyes and saw genuine affection, unlike the cold gaze Cyrus had perfected. Was Charon right? Was she wrong to place her trust in Cyrus? Would she find her quality of her life improve if she followed Charon instead? He was older than her, much older, but he wasn't afraid to feel. "I…"

"Cyrus doesn't realize how truly special you are, but I do. He will never appreciate you the way you would like him to." He removed his hand from her chin and placed it over his other hand. "Cyrus will never reach his goal, I assure you. He will fail and he will abandon you when that day comes. But I won't."

Mars pulled her arm free. "I swore an oath to serve Cyrus. I'm not ever going to turn my back on him, no matter what the end game is."

Charon took a step back. "If you insist, but the offer is there for you to take. In time, you will see that I am right and then you'll be begging for me." He jerked his head towards the Valley Windworks. It was a large building surrounded by a couple of windmills which generated power for the cities of Sinnoh. "Here we are. Let's get this over and done with."

 **.**

The commanders spurred into action and immediately went their separate ways, preparing themselves for their tasks ahead. He was glad to be rid of them for temporarily since it meant he had time to himself. Navigating his way through the crowd of grunts, Cyrus headed towards his private chambers, turning around a sharp corner to reach the staircase when someone crashed into him. He didn't fall over, but he staggered backwards from the impact.

The grunt, on the other hand, had fallen onto his backside. He glanced up now, his face paling as he recognized who it was staring down at him. "Oh my… I'm so sorry, boss! I didn't recognize it was you!" the grunt said, climbing to his feet. The grunt, only a young teenage male of eighteen years of age, looked like he had encountered a ghost. He was actually trembling.

Cyrus held back an angry response. He could easily fire the kid on the spot right now and berate him for his stupidity and carelessness, but that would be a sign of anger, one of the many useless emotions he wished to rid the world of. Taking in a deep breath, he recollected himself. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I… uh… was looking for the candy machine and I came across something… strange… and I wanted to find you!" the boy blabbered. Cyrus could hardly recognize the guy – he was most likely one of the newest recruits who had signed on just last week – but it didn't matter because the grunts were meaningless to him. When a grunt signed on to join Galactic, they agreed to abandon all forms of their identity. Grunts didn't have a name - they were simply called 'grunts.'

"What did you see?" Cyrus asked.

"Follow me, boss!"

He followed the nameless grunt down a corridor leading down to the public nap room. This is where the grunts slept. There were at least fifty beds, one bed for every two grunts in Galactic. One grunt worked the night shift while the other worked the day shift. While one was asleep, the other was awake and working. Only the commanders and himself had a room of their own.

"Do you see it, boss?" the grunt asked, pointing at a couple lying down in the centre bed. Cyrus's eyes were drawn to the couple and it didn't take him long to figure out what was going on. The male was on top of the female and they seemed to be having a rather good time, unaware they were being watched.

Cyrus made a mental note to himself to create a sign at the entrance of the Nap Room, telling all grunts to ensure the bed was unoccupied before getting into it. The last thing he needed was pregnant grunts in his company. They wouldn't be able to work as effectively and he didn't want to deal with the extra stress of hormonal mothers.

"Explain yourselves," Cyrus demanded.

The two grunts immediately froze. "Boss?!"

"Oh my Arceus…" said the nameless female grunt, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

Cyrus crossed his arms over his chest and waited for an explanation. "I will fire you if you do not provide an explanation." He could always find more grunts. There were always fools willing to sign up. "Get out of the bed."

The grunts exchanged horrified looks. "But boss…" the woman said.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," Cyrus replied, giving the lady grunt a stony glare. Embarrassment. Another useless emotion that only held an individual back from completing a task. "Get up." The two grunts did as they were told, covering themselves up quickly with the bed sheets. He wondered what punishment to give them. "You have both indulged in an unnecessary act of pleasure. As a result of breaking one of my rules, you will not receive pay for the next fortnight. I hope you were both at least smart enough to take precautions?"

The grunts looked at their floor. Cyrus sighed. Of course not. The grunts were too stupid to even know how to protect themselves from the act of procreating even though Cyrus had given them the 'talk' at least once a month. Grunts. So primal. They allowed themselves to be controlled by the desires of the flesh. "Sorry, boss. It will not happen again," the male grunt said, still glancing down at the ground.

"Get out of my sight." They nodded and ran out of the room, not once stopping to glance over their shoulder. Cyrus glanced at the bed then turned to the teenage grunt. "I want the bed cleaned up." The young grunt nodded eager to satisfy his boss. He leapt into action and immediately picked up the discarded clothes on the floor.

Cyrus exited the Nap Room, continuing to make his way to his private office in the secluded part of the building. Tinkering with machines was much more appealing than having to deal with other people since machines didn't have emotions. They were designed to do specific tasks and they did them without complaint. How the world would be better if people were like machines.

 _._

Mars and Charon stepped inside the building. A handful of grunts were already there waiting for her. They bowed their heads as she strolled past them when two male grunts approached her. "Commander Mars, we have captured the owner!" the first grunt, a stocky male with a nasally voice, pointed at a chair behind him.

There was a man sitting on the chair, his arms wrapped around it, his hands bound together by a thick coarse rope. His legs too were tied to the legs of the chair and she noticed there were grazes and even a couple of bruises on his body. The man had obviously tried to resist. She strolled towards him, Charon close at her side. "Tell me, can the power a Pokemon stores be converted into energy?"

The man struggled against the ropes. "I don't know."

"Not good enough," Mars said. "Hit him."

The grunts happily obliged, kicking at the man's right leg. He cried out. "Please… I do not know… I harness the energy created by the wind to generate electricity for the cities of Sinnoh! I do not know anything about Pokemon and their power being converted into energy!" he pleaded. "Just let me go… please… I'll give you anything you want… just let me return to my daughter…"

Mars bent over, brought her face close and wagged a finger in the man's face. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to let you go? I know you'll alert the authorities to our presence. I can't let that happen – I hope you understand."

"Why are you doing this?" the man gasped.

She laid her hands on the man's shoulders and gazed deeply into his eyes. "We are trying to make the world a better place."

"But why do you need energy?"

Mars answered his question with a slap in the face. A stinging red mark appeared on his right cheek where she had struck him. "Stop talking. Now, you are going to remain here and work out a way to turn a Pokemon's energy into a source humans can use. We're not going to let you go until the task is complete, understood?"

"But my daughter…" he begged.

"If you ever want to see your daughter again you will do as I command," Mars hissed. She turned to one of the grunts. "Find him a notebook and a pen for the man. We're going to watch him day and night until he comes up with a solution."

The grunt nodded and went off to find a notebook, and returned moments later with a spiral book and a black pen. Mars reached down into her pocket, pulling out a pocket knife and walked over behind the chair. She brought the edge of the knife down onto the rope and cut into it until it fell apart, accidentally cutting into a bit of flesh. "Oops, sorry," she said, grinning. "My finger must've slipped."

Crimson blood dripped onto the floor. It wasn't a great amount, but if the cut was any deeper, the man would need immediate medical assistance. He clutched his arm to his chest, glancing down at the wound. "You… You're crazy."

"What can I say? I like pain," Mars replied, waving the knife around in the air. "You'll be introduced to a new world of pain if you disobey me." The man nodded, lowered his eyes and gazed down at his paper. Mars turned to another idle grunt. "Guard the entrance. If anyone tries to come in you have my permission to beat them to a pulp."

The grunt nodded. "Yes, commander Mars."

She rubbed her hands together. "Excellent. The boss will be most pleased."

.

Professor Rowan had been right. Floaroma Town was a tiny town, but a pleasant place to be. There were flower beds in all directions and even a tiny park for tourists and locals to relax in. She had seen flowers before, but never had she seen such a variety in one place. One bed was home to a few stalks of Early Nir's, another bed had red and yellow Kangaroo Paws and another bed, on the opposite side, belonged to many pink Mountain Coneflowers. There were many other species present, but she didn't know the names of all of them.

"Um excuse me, miss? Would you be able to help me?"

Dawn was engrossed in observing the flowers that she didn't realize a young girl in a yellow summer dress was watching her. Curious hazel eyes peered up at Dawn. "What do you need help with?" Dawn replied.

"My father has been kidnapped by these people in space suits," the girl replied. "They were really scary! Please help me save him, miss!"

Team Galactic again. She had a feeling she'd be seeing them again, but not this soon. Could she face them after what happened last time with the Stunky? "Lead the way." The girl in the yellow summer dress led Dawn towards the eastern path which took them past more flower beds. There was a bridge to the north but it was guarded by a couple of grunts. Dawn and the girl walked past the guards until a white building came into view. There were a couple of windmills a couple of yards away sitting atop a steep hill.

A lone Galactic grunt stood in front of the building's entrance, blocking the door. His head turned in their direction, and immediately scowled. "Hey you! You can't be here! Get out or face the wrath of Galactic!"

The young girl cowered behind Dawn. "She wants to see her father," Dawn said.

The grunt snorted. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"He's in there! I know he is! You beat him down and placed him in a chair!" the girl blurted. "I want to see my dad!"

"You need two sets of keys to open these doors. I have the second key. My friends have the other key and they're hiding in the flower park in Floaroma Town." The grunt immediately cursed himself. "I didn't tell you anything! Wait, it doesn't matter anyway since you're not going to be able to get the other key." He laughed. "I have nothing to be worried about. Commanders Mars and Charon will get the information they need to obtain energy from Pokemon…"

Dawn lifted a brow. "You're trying to capture Pokemon to obtain energy from them?"

The grunt smirked. "Yeah, that's right! We need another source of energy to make the boss' goal to become a reality! And there's no way I'm going to let some uppity brat stop me!" He reached down to his pokebelt and hurled his only pokeball to the ground. "Glameow!"

Dawn immediately brought forth her Gastly. Gastly wasn't yet strong enough to handle a battle against a Glameow in pure offensive power, but he did know status inflicting moves that would allow Dawn to gain the upper hand. "Gastly, use Hypnosis!"

"Glameow, use Scratch!"

Either the grunt was really dumb or he was just fooling with her because Ghost-types weren't affected by Normal-type moves. Glameow's move struck, but did no damage at all. The grunt seemed surprised. _Dumb grunt,_ Dawn confirmed. "Okay, Gastly! Now it's your turn!" Gastly nodded and sailed forward, stopping directly in front of the feline's eyes. He swung from side to side like a pendulum until the cat fell asleep.

"Oh no!"

"Now put the grunt to sleep!"

Gastly nodded, and used the same move on the grunt. The grunt too fell asleep. He dropped to the ground. The little girl crouched down and picked the key to the second door up. "We need to find the other key." Without saying another word, Dawn headed back to the town which was thankfully a short walk.

The park entrance was just a couple of feet away from the town's centre. She stepped through the archway made of flowers and found two grunts beating down an old man. What was it with grunts and attacking old people? Dawn rushed over, her Gastly following close behind. The two grunts immediately stopped when they noticed her presence.

"Hey, look! It's a cute trainer!"

"What should we do?"

"Let's punish her!"

The grunts approached her, leaving the injured man lying on the grassy meadow. "Go get her, Zubats!" Two blue bats with no visible eyes appeared, hovering on the same spot. His friend threw out his pokeball to reveal a Stunky. A triple battle. She knew these battles occurred in Unova, but never thought they'd take place in this region.

"You seem surprised. You've never seen a triple battle before?"

"She looks like she hasn't seen a lot of things."

Dawn pulled out her Pokedex and faced it towards the Zubat.

 _Zubat. It checks its surroundings and location using reflections of the ultrasonic waves from its mouth._

Not a word about its eyes. Did it even have them? Dawn summoned Murkrow and Deino to join Gastly's side. Her Pokemon could handle a battle on their own, but a team battle? She wasn't so sure. Team battles were more about strategy than pure offense power. "Murkrow, use Pursuit! Gastly, use Hypnosis! Deino, use Dragon Rage!"

Murkrow emitted a ball of dark energy and sent it forth in the direction of the first Zubat. Gastly's attempt in putting the second Zubat to sleep failed, but it was Deino's beam of draconic rage that took her and the grunts by surprise. The beam was so powerful it took the Glameow down in one hit. "What in the name of Arceus is that thing?" The grunts looked at the Deino with newfound curiosity.

"The energy… the boss would love a Pokemon that strong!"

The other grunt recalled his two Zubats – he probably scared Deino would take them both down with one beam. Deino didn't look truly impressive but the baby dragon sure possessed a lot of power. The grunt with the fainted Pokemon threw Dawn the key to open the first door. "Take the key. Commander Mars has probably gotten what we need anyway so we're no longer needed. You might have won the battle here, but you won't get past Mars."

"Yeah, she'll teach you a lesson in _pain._ "

The pair turned around and ran towards the forest surrounding the park. Dawn walked over to the injured man's side and knelt down beside him. "Do you need any help? There's a Pokemon Centre nearby."

He shook his head. "I'm fine, young lass. You go and stop those spacemen from causing more trouble."

The man didn't look to be all right, but he refused to accept her hand. Dawn turned to the little girl who was standing at the entrance, darting her eyes in various directions, looking as skittish as a newborn Skitty. "I'm going to save your father."

.

As soon as she stepped into the building, Dawn was greeted by pained cries coming from somewhere within the building. The little girl besides her, stood right at Dawn's side, clutching onto arm. Together, they ventured further in the Valley Windworks when Dawn spotted two Galactic grunts standing on opposite sides of the room.

"You think you can take us, girl?" the first grunt snorted.

"The commander waits for you up ahead," said the second grunt.

Dawn focused her gaze on the opposite side of the room where a lady with bright red hair wearing a dress stood. There was an old man standing to her left, but it was the figure behind them that caught her attention. A man wearing a suit was strapped down to the chair, a trail of blood running down the side of his mouth. He was gasping, obviously shaken by the events that had occurred.

"Daddy!" the young girl said. She almost dashed forward, but Dawn held her back.

"Stay back. It's too dangerous for you to approach him." Dawn didn't know anything about the ranking system of the Galactic members, but whoever the lady was, she must've been important. Her hands were resting on her hips, her chin tilted slightly upwards, adding to her overall smug demeanour.

The woman's eyes rested on Dawn. "I'm one of Team Galactic's three commanders, Mars. We've been trying to create a new world that's better than this one… But people have shown little understanding about what we do. You don't understand either, do you? It's a little saddening…" She tilted her head to the side. "You remind me of someone… I feel like I've seen you before somewhere… but nevermind."

Galactic were trying to create a new world? These people were certainly crazy. Creating a new world wasn't possible… right? "I'm here to stop you."

Mars threw her head back and laughed. "You're just a little girl. What makes you think you can defeat me, a commander of Team Galactic?" She gave Dawn a defiant stare which sent a chill race down her spine. "But I'm curious. So, let's have a battle to decide what we should do next. If I win, you leave. If you win, we, Team Galactic, will leave!"

"Mars, you are wasting time battling this girl," the old man said, placing a hand on Mars' shoulder.

Mars withdrew her arm roughly, almost elbowing the guy in the face. "I'm in charge here, Charon or have you forgotten the boss' orders?" she snarled. Charon fell silent, taking a step back. He turned his head in Dawn's direction and frowned, as if he had recognized a familiar face. "So, what is your name girl or do I have to beat a total stranger?"

Dawn pulled her gaze away from Charon. "I'm Dawn."

"Dawn eh? A pretty name, but it won't help you win." She reached down to her pokebelt and threw out her first pokeball. A Zubat appeared.

Having battled a Zubat before, Dawn wasn't too worried about fighting another one. It didn't appear to be too strong – in fact, the bat was fragile. Dawn sent out her Murkrow. Murkrow flapped around in circles, cawing loudly. "Murkrow, use Pursuit!" Murkrow conjured a ball of dark energy and sent it forth. The ball sailed into the Zubat, almost knocking it out of the air. Zubat wasn't as fragile as the ones she had fought before though and it steadied itself in the air, hovering in one place. It hissed, bearing its small fangs which were coated in poison.

Mars pointed her finger forward. "Zubat, use Bite!" For a bat that had no eyes, it certainly had no trouble with directions and aiming. It flew with surprising speed, latching itself onto Murkrow's neck, wings beating the air furiously. Murkrow thrashed around in the air, trying to throw the bat off, but his attempts failed.

"Come on Murkrow… use Peck!" Dawn ordered. Murkrow cawed, turned his head and drilled his bill into the Zubat's head. Zubat hissed, released and returned to its owner.

"You think you're so good, don't you? Well, I'm far from finished yet. This battle has only just begun. Zubat, use Supersonic!" Zubat remained in one place, flapping its wings furiously, as a beam of yellow light exited its mouth. The beam struck Murkrow directly in the face. It did not hurt the bird physically, but Murkrow's movements seemed less focused than before.

"Murkrow?" Dawn called out.

Murkrow turned around to face Dawn and swooped down, talons ready to strike at her face. Dawn ducked, narrowly avoiding sharp claws. Before damage could be done, she threw her pokeball at the avian returning it to safety. Her Pokemon had been confused. She pulled out her next Pokemon, her Gastly.

"You seem to have an appreciation for the darkness," Mars crowed. "If you weren't my enemy, I'd welcome you into our ranks. I think you'd look rather dashing in a Galactic outfit. Of course, we'd have to cut your hair and dye it aqua…"

"I would never join Team Galactic," Dawn said. She still hardly knew a thing about them, but if she were to judge them on their fashion taste alone, they were clearly bad news. "Gastly, use Hypnosis!" Her Pokemon swung from side to side until the Zubat fell asleep. The bat dropped to the ground. "Use Lick!" Gastly moved forward. He hovered above the Zubat then stuck out his long pink tongue, pressing it against the Zubat's cool flesh. Gastly ran it down until the bat was covered in saliva. Although the attack appeared to do no damage, the Zubat shuddered.

"What did you do to my Pokemon?" Mars shrieked.

Was that a trick question? "Your Pokemon is sleeping."

Mars hissed. "I know that you stupid girl!" She threw her pokeball to return her Zubat to safety, then replacing it with her other Pokemon. She expected to see a Glameow or a Stunky considering what the other grunts used, but what she saw was a real menace. It was a rather chubby feline covered in thick grey and white fur. The cat's face was crescent-shaped and its whiskers were shaped like zigzags. Surely, this overweight cat couldn't hit hard? It looked far too sluggish to do anything.

 _Purugly. The evolved form of Glameow. It binds its body with its tails to make itself look bigger. If it locks eyes, it will glare ceaselessly._

Dawn eyed the cat with cautious eyes. The cat hissed, slashing at the air with a paw, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"You're going pale. You have the option of giving up the battle if you wish… or course, that would mean you have to leave."

Dawn shook her head. "I'll never give up."

Mars snorted. "You are foolish little girl, aren't you? If the boss was here he'd put you in your place."

"Who is he? You speak of him highly."

Mars narrowed her eyes. "Of course I do. He's going to make a new world for us – not for annoying brats such as yourself. Purugly, use Faint Attack!" The Purugly rushed forward. It pounced on Dawn's Gastly, slashing it in the face with a blackened claw. Gastly's gases evaporated as he fainted. Dawn recalled her fainted Pokemon. She had two Pokemon remaining capable of fighting. Her Turtwig and her Deino.

Deino tipped the odds in her favour last time, could her dragon do it again or would it be better to rely on her most experienced fighter? She decided to take a risk and use Deino. Besides, the dragon could use some extra experience. She threw Deino's pokeball out and the dragon appeared. "My dragon destroyed one of your grunts earlier. He can do it again if I command him to."

"You think I'm scared of your baby dragon? I've seen far worse, girl." Purugly hissed again, bracing herself for another attack. "Enough talk. I say we finish this battle. Purugly, use Scratch!" Purugly dashed forward, slashing a paw at the Deino's face. The cat's attack struck hard, causing Deino to topple over.

Dawn opened her mouth to order a counter attack when Charon moved forward. "Stop the battle, Mars," Charon said. "You have proven yourself. Dawn is just a child – what do you prove by beating her? The owner has given us what we need. There is no need for us to remain here or do you wish to displease the boss?"

Mars looked at him for a few moments then sighed. "Next time I'll make sure the boss pairs you up with Jupiter." She threw a scathing look in Dawn's direction. "I'm not going to go so easy on you the next time meet. Let's move." She snapped her fingers, prompting the grunts around her to move. As the grunts and their commander exited the building, Charon walked to Dawn.

Dawn stepped back. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Consider yourself lucky that I was here to save you from defeat. I know who you are… Dawn." He chuckled lightly. "We will meet again, I'm sure of it." He released her arm and followed in the footsteps of his fellow team members. Dawn rubbed her arm gingerly, as if trying to remove the invisible spot he had touched her.

.

"Daddy!" her young companion squealed, running towards her father.

"Deino, bite the ropes that bind this man to his chair," Dawn ordered, still reeling from Charon's words. How did he know her? She had never seen him before in his life. Deino did as ordered and clamped his mouth around the thick rope, gnawing it until it fell apart. The ropes fell to the floor and the man fell out of his chair, but thankfully Dawn rushed forward to stop him from making contact with the floor.

"Thank you… thank you for saving me," the man gasped, glancing up at Dawn, his daughter at his side.

She smiled. "You don't have to thank me. I did what was right. What did they want from you?"

"Energy. They tortured me for hours… I-I gave in and told them what they wanted to know. Energy can be harvested from Pokemon. I don't know why they would want to do that though… the consequences are catastrophic." He hung his head sadly ashamed he had given up such information. "Team Galactic… they want to create a new world by using the energy harvested from Pokemon. I fear for our existence if they should somehow succeed." He gazed into her eyes, pleadingly. "You must not let them succeed."

Dawn arched her eyebrows. "I am just a trainer; not a heroine."

He grasped her arms. "Great legends come from nothing." He released her gently and climbed to his feet with his daughter's aid. "Thank you again for your assistance. I am forever in your debt. If you ever need anything, drop by my house in Floaroma Town. My house is the one with the red mailbox. My name is Joseph."

He hobbled out of the door leaving Dawn alone. A trainer's journey was always supposed to be full of excitement but this was much more than she had expected. The man had said great legends came from nothing. What did he mean by that? Had he been referring to former heroes who defeated crime mobs in other regions? Red had been the first. He defied all the odds and rose to the top to claim the title of Champion, defeating Team Rocket in the process. May had followed in his footsteps, responsible for taking down not one, but two criminal teams to save Hoenn from destruction.

Red and May were unknown to the world at the beginning of their journeys, but their reputation began to grow as their legendary deeds spread through their home regions. Was she destined to follow in their footsteps? Would her name be added to the history books to be remembered forever? Or would she be remembered for another reason? She shook her head and turned to exit the building.

She didn't manage to cover a lot of ground when Looker jumped out from behind the corner, startling her. "Ah, yes. It is you, yes," the man said, gazing down at Dawn, his dark eyes alive. "I have heard that the Team Galactic appeared at this power plant. I have, therefore, come running. So, the Team Galactic… where are they?"

For a guy that claimed to be part of a top notch police team, he sure wasn't good at stopping criminals. She wondered what his story was. "They're gone."

He frowned. "You have run them off, you say? You are a trainer, but… Very well! I shall go investigate inside!" The man pointed to the sky, super-hero style, and entered the building. He came back out several moments later. "Magnificent!" he crowed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Yes, it is! What you have said, it is all true! Superb! Though you are young, you are a trainer through and through!"

"They won't be causing trouble here no more, but I don't think they're finished yet."

He nodded, rubbing his chin, looking thoughtful. "Very well! I shall pursue the culprits! I have received tips that the Team Galactic hideout is in Eterna City, which coincidently is your next stop. To there, I must be off!" The man raced away, reminding Dawn briefly of her friend, Barry. Fortunately, Barry didn't share Looker's eccentric nature. The man was just too weird.

She made her way back to the town and immediately visited the Pokemon Centre to rest. Looker had stated her next stop was in Eterna City and to get there she needed to bypass Eterna Forest. Travelling through a forest meant creepy bugs and humid weather. She was going to have to dress appropriately for that journey. _A couple cans of bug spray repellent ought to suffice,_ she thought, making a mental list of things to purchase. While she waited for Pokemon to be healed, she took the opportunity to rest herself.


	7. A Dire Warning

**Chapter Six: A Dire Warning**

Celestic Town was a small village built around a shrine, dating back to the ancient times. It served as retirement place for the elderly because of the peaceful atmosphere – there was no gym and therefore no tourists and no youth to deal with. It was a place of ancient history, and only those with an interest in the past came here to visit.

Cynthia walked up to her house, and knocked on the door twice, patiently waiting for it to open. She had returned home on her grandmother's request. It could not have come a better time since Cynthia was in a desperate need to do something exciting. Being the best the region had to offer had its downsides and one of them was having too much time to carry out leisurely activities. It had been fun for the first few weeks to be able to travel the region and explore what Sinnoh had to offer, but it grew old quickly. It could've been worse – she could've been stuck at the league all day like the unfortunate members of the Elite Four. Nowadays, she spent her leisure time visiting her family. Hopefully, her grandmother could help her find something exciting to do.

The door opened. A young girl, who shared the same taste in clothing Cynthia had, opened the door. She glanced up, a smile appearing on her face, blue eyes shining with mirth. "Cynthia!" Her younger sister, Jade, wrapped her arms around Cynthia's waist.

"I was only here yesterday you know," Cynthia joked, glancing down at her nine year old sister.

"You're not here often enough," the younger girl said, removing her arms.

Cynthia closed the door behind her, and followed her sister to the living room. Her grandmother was already there sipping on some green tea. The woman had never been a tea drinker until she became good friends with Sheila, Pryce's wife. Now the old lady drank tea at least three times a day and urged her granddaughters to do the same.

Her grandmother looked in her direction immediately, lips pressed into a thin line. That expression could only mean one thing – something was wrong and she needed Cynthia to solve it. "Jade. Please wait in your room," their grandmother said. Cynthia caught Jade's eyes and shrugged, and the younger girl frowned, but did as asked and hurried upstairs.

Once Jade had returned to her home, Cynthia sat down next to her grandmother and helped herself to some green tea. "Guess who I saw this morning?" Cynthia started, after taking a sip. Her grandmother said nothing. "Johanna's daughter, Dawn. I had to admit, I didn't think I'd be seeing her as a trainer since Johanna seemed reluctant to let her go on her journey. What made her change her mind?"

Cynthia had seen Dawn on two occasions – one when the girl was born and a second time when Dawn was five years of age. Dawn probably didn't even recognize her now since it had been quite a number of years since they last met.

"Johanna couldn't hold her daughter back from pursuing her dreams any longer."

"And what's so bad about that?" Cynthia replied, pouring more tea into her cup, filling it to the brim. "Becoming a trainer is nothing to be ashamed of. I recall there were tears in your eyes the day I left for my journey." It was almost hard to believe that nine years had passed since she had had started on her road to become the Champion of her region. "Are you worried about Dawn struggling? Wasn't her father a trainer?" Carolina nodded. "Well, what's the problem?"

Her grandmother snorted. " _He_ is the problem."

Cynthia frowned. "How could he be a problem if he's no longer around?" Dawn's father had abandoned Dawn before she had been born and moved to another region, or at least that's what she had heard. "I thought he had moved to Unova?" The man apparently had an eye for business and Unova was the business capital of the world. There was so much more potential to start a business there than there was here in Sinnoh.

Carolina shook her head. "No, he still lives in Sinnoh and I fear what will happen when he learns the truth of Dawn's existence."

"He's her father, grandma."

"He's a danger, Cynthia. You do not know him like I do. You have never seen him before and I hope you never do. A man who leaves his pregnant wife when she needs him the most is not worthy of being called a father. I fear for the worst if he learns of Dawn – I want you to protect Dawn to the best of your ability."

Cynthia wondered what else the man had done to earn her grandmother's distrust. She seemed to be holding back more information, regarding Dawn's mystery father's history. "I will look out for Dawn." Johanna was her grandmother's closest friend, and Dawn seemed like a sweet girl. Besides, it would be nice connecting with the girl she had known since she was a baby, even if Dawn didn't know it yet. "Should I tell Dawn that I'm the same Cynthia who attended her fifth birthday party?"

"She doesn't remember you; you'll most likely scare the girl. Keep your identity a secret. You will guide her down the _right_ path. Promise me, Cynthia."

Cynthia detected a tone of desperation. Whoever this guy was, he certainly had left a foul impression on her grandmother's mind. It wasn't surprising though – her grandmother didn't hold a high opinion of men, stating they were easily swayed and manipulated. She could understand where her grandmother was coming from since all the male members in their family had left, though Cynthia bore no ill feelings towards the opposite gender. A person's gender didn't determine how good of a person they could be – it was up to the individual to shape their own destiny by making the right choices.

"I promise, grandmother. I'll protect Dawn as if she was my sister."

A rare smile crossed her grandmother's worried expression. "Then that is all I can ask for."

Before entering the forest, Dawn had made sure to obtain some new attack moves for her friends. They had grown considerably stronger since their first battle – with the right training, Dawn was sure her team could become a force to be reckoned with. Battling other trainers and wild Pokemon had given her Pokemon valuable experience, but battling the Galactic members had been essential to growth of her Pokemon and herself.

Wild Pokemon acted on instinct and other trainers played by the rules presented in the guidebook, but a Galactic member fought with no honour and that was more dangerous than anything she had encountered. It opened her eyes to the world around her – the way the world was depicted on the trainer channel made it appear to be a happy place to live in, but Dawn now knew better. There was darkness where there was light.

She entered the forest, her team of four following close behind her. Dawn wanted them out of their pokeballs so they too could see the sights around them and learn more about the world they lived in. She could only hope they didn't run away and get lost in this dark place. The canopy was so thick that only thin rays of sunlight made it through, providing her with just enough light source to know where she was going.

It was also incredibly humid. Her clothes stuck to her skin, making her feel rather uncomfortable. Her usual tame hair was now in a frizzy mess, and her face was dripping with sweat. What she wanted right now was a long cold shower, but that was quite a fair way yet. To top it all off, the bugs still came to her despite having covered herself in bug repellent. The man selling the product had informed her that the repellent would drive bugs away, so why were they still harassing her? Granted, she didn't have to deal with a swarm of bugs, but the odd few still annoyed her.

"Here, try this repellent instead. This one has a much stronger stench," a gentle feminine voice said from behind her.

Dawn spun around, her eyes resting on another young girl with green hair. The lady's hair matched the dark leafed trees and her eyes were as green as the grass. "Uh, thanks," Dawn said, reaching out to the woman's hand to grab a spray can of bug repellent.

She sprayed it all over herself and on her Pokemon as well since they were having problems with pesky bugs too. The spray did not have a recognizable scent, but it must have been powerful to the bugs because the ones that were harassing her now moved far away. Once she was done, she handed it back.

"I'm Cheryl, a treasure hunter," the lady replied, placing the repellent back in her shoulder bag. "I take it you're lost as well?"

Dawn huffed. "I'm not lost. I'm just exploring, that's all."

Cheryl just chuckled. "That's what all the lost people say."

"How long have you been in here for?" Dawn asked.

"For a few hours now, I'm afraid. All the trees here look exactly the same and it's hard to see with such little sunlight. Sometimes I think I've found my way out only to find I'm back where I started again," the girl explained, shaking her head sadly, giving Dawn a grim smile. "I've got an idea. Why don't we stick together? There are dangerous people roaming the region and I don't want to encounter one of those spacemen again." A visible shudder ran down her spine.

Dawn lifted an eyebrow. "You mean Team Galactic?"

"You've met them too then? Don't they just give you the creeps?" She flipped her long ponytail over her right shoulder, giving Dawn a wide eyed look. "I ran into them the other day in the forest. I was searching for some treasure and I accidentally crossed paths with them. The bowl-cut duo demanded that I give them everything that I had otherwise they would teach me a lesson with their Pokemon. My Chansey beat the first duo, but then two more came along and defeated my poor baby." Cheryl sighed. "Fortunately, I had a couple of revives. I would hate to find myself in a tight situation without them."

"What happened then?"

"They left. I didn't have any treasure on me other than a couple of revives which they didn't appear to be interested in thankfully. Chansey and I have been so terrified of wondering on our own because of those spacemen." She smiled warmly. "I'm glad you came along when you did. You look like a tough trainer."

"Oh, I'm not. Not yet anyway, but hopefully I will be one day. I just started out on my journey." It was then she realized she hadn't yet formally introduced herself. "I'm Dawn by the way. I'm from Twinleaf Town."

"Twinleaf Town? Oh, I've heard the name before but I don't think I've ever visited. I hear it can be quite chilly down there." Cheryl started walking, taking a right turn. The path was blocked by a pair of thick bushes. Cheryl parted the vegetation and crawled through. Dawn followed her thankful the bush wasn't one of those prickly ones.

"Sometimes," Dawn admitted, climbing to her feet, brushing some dirt off her dress. "It's tolerable though. What do you know about Team Galactic?" They continued walking down a dirt-covered path. Dawn didn't pay much attention to her surroundings; she was far more engrossed in the conversation she was having with Cheryl.

Cheryl glanced upwards at the canopy, looking thoughtful. She turned her gaze away focusing on Dawn again. "I don't know much truthfully, but I know they're searching for something. One of the grunts mentioned something about meeting up with a lady called Jupiter in Eterna City," she explained.

Looker had mentioned something about the Galactic base in Eterna City. He said he was going to investigate himself, but Dawn had a feeling that somehow she would reach the base before him. "So, you come to forests searching for treasure?" she asked, changing the topic to a more delightful one.

Cheryl nodded. "I come from a family of treasure hunters. We search the region looking for rare objects. If we come across exceptionally rare items we'll give it to the scientists, but otherwise we'll keep it for ourselves. It's an adventurous career. What about you? What's your background?"

"My mother is a fashion coordinator and my father…" she paused briefly then continued. "I don't know he is, but I'm going to find him. Mum never speaks about him much – it's one of those 'off topic' conversations. All I know is that he is a trainer as well and is hiding somewhere in Sinnoh."A horrible thought dawned on her. What if her father was Charon, the old guy she met back in the Valley Windworks? He did claim to know her after all.

No way. Her mother would have better sense than to go out with a guy who was probably three times her age. "You seem troubled." Cheryl's gentle voice brought Dawn back to reality.

"Just thinking, that's all. How come you're not a trainer?" Again, she changed the topic.

"I always thought I was going to be a trainer. I remember waking up one morning and hearing that Red claimed the title from that snotty kid, Blue. I told myself that I wanted to be like him as well." She chuckled, shaking her head a little. "But I wasn't much of a trainer. Battling didn't appeal to me – I was more fascinated in finding objects instead of seeking out trainers. What about you? Why did you decide to be a trainer?"

"Well," Dawn started. "I wanted to explore the world. I used to watch the trainer channel every Monday morning and I felt jealous of all the kids who were old enough to embark on theirs. Mum didn't want me going for some reason, but eventually gave into the idea when I turned twelve. I want to become the next Champion and be someone my parents can be proud of."

"It's good that you know what you want already. I wish I had known what career path to take when I was ten. It would've saved me a lot of stress. Oh," Cheryl suddenly said, pointing a finger forward. "I believe that's the exit."

Dawn turned her head. There was an archway a few metres way. It was camouflaged so well Dawn would not have recognized it if Cheryl hadn't been there with her. "We made it out."

Grinning, Cheryl nodded. "Isn't it amazing what we can discover when the mind isn't plagued with worry and doubt? Talking with you has cleared my mind, thank you for accompanying me. Take one of my revive potions - I'm sure you'll find it useful in the road ahead." She reached down into her bag and pulled out a bottle. The bottle had a red cross on it. Dawn thanked her and put it away into her own bag. "Good luck in your journey Dawn, I hope we meet again sometime." The girl waved and headed through the rusted archway.

Dawn thought about following her, but figured this was a good place to do some training. As long as she stayed near the archway she'd be fine. She gazed down at her Pokemon who were peering up at her, waiting for their orders. "What do you say we get some training done?" Her four Pokemon nodded and immediately rushed over to a patch of grass nearby, Dawn following close behind.

Cynthia carefully crossed over the moving flower petal as she made her way to the gym leader's area. As per usual, Gardenia was tending to the flower beds surrounding her gym, and admiring her new selection of garden gnomes. Cynthia had never been interested in gardening herself, but the scent of the flowers was somehow relaxing.

"Hello Gardenia," Cynthia said.

Gardenia immediately rose from the ground and turned around. A brilliant smile spread across her face as she noticed Cynthia. "Cynthia!" The girl rushed over to her and gave her a hug, which Cynthia returned. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Cynthia was the trainer all the girls in Sinnoh admired. Before her, there had never been a female Champion since it was falsely assumed only males could make it to the top. She had proven the critics wrong by claiming the title when she was sixteen which had been three years ago. "It's good to see you too, Gardenia. I notice you have redesigned your gym?"

The last time she had been here the gym had been designed to look like a maze of trees. Gym trainers would be waiting in the tree tops, waiting to ambush challengers from above. Now the place had a mechanical moving flower metal in the centre of the gym and water spouts decorating it. The gym trainers were clearly visible from the entrance ruining the suspense the gym had previously.

Gardenia nodded. "The place needed a feminine touch."

"But what about the trees?" Cynthia replied, puzzled.

"Don't look so shocked, Cynthia." She laughed softly. "You know I would never bring harm to the natural land. The old gym is just across from here – we turned it into a greenhouse. It's also a place of education. The local children come once a week to learn about our wonderful flora and look after plants of their own. So, what brings you down here? Not much activity happening at the league?"

Cynthia shook her head. "I came here to see you were feeling. You were having problems with a boy the last time I was here if I remember clearly." The beginnings of a blush formed on the gym leader's face. She looked down and tended to the flowers again. "What was his name again, Roark? Byron's son?"

At the mention of Roark, Gardenia jerked her head back up. "I've lost interest in him," she said, turning away again. _That was an abrupt change in tone,_ Cynthia thought. Cynthia waited. Gardenia would confess when she felt ready. A few minutes passed by when the gym leader sighed. "Okay, I still like the guy, but he doesn't seem interested in me at all. I think it's because I defeated his team easily the last time we met." Her expression turned into one of regret.

"How long ago was this?" Cynthia moved to the cloud-wallpapered wall and leaned against it.

"Two months ago. He challenged me to a battle and I agreed. He knew he didn't stand a chance against my team, but he was intent on battling. After he lost, I never heard from him again. Do you think he hates me?"

Cynthia had met Roark on several occasions, and he was usually accompanied by his father. The boy was over confident at times, but he would never sever ties with someone for no reason. "I think he's embarrassed. You hurt his ego. It's going to take a bit of time for him to recover from that."

Gardenia stood up. "Well, how long will I have to wait? He won't even answer his calls! Candice is hosting a dinner party and I wanted to see if he was going or not."

"Why don't you just drop by his place instead? He doesn't live that far away from here."

"And what would I say to him? Apologize for winning?"

"Tell him how you really feel, Gardenia. He probably thinks you don't like him and that's why he's keeping his distance," Cynthia explained, arms crossed over her chest. She couldn't help smile at Gardenia's dilemma.

Gardenia stared then nodded, sighing heavily. "You're right. You're _always_ right. I don't understand why you haven't hooked up with anyone yet, Cynthia. You're like the coolest female trainer in history. You'd think guys would be lining up at the league doorstep waiting for you," she teased, chuckling.

"I have other things to focus on than worry about relationships," she replied calmly.

"I know dating gym leaders isn't something a Champion would do, but have you considering the other Champions from surrounding nations? You know, Lance _is_ pretty attractive and I hear he's still single."

Cynthia raised both her eyebrows. "He's fine on the eyes, I agree, but he's certainly not my type. Besides, I hear he's keeping an eye on a trainer called Lyra." Gardenia was about to raise another suggestion when Cynthia wagged a finger. "Don't even mention Steven. Steven is a good friend of mine, but I have no romantic interest in him at all."

Steven was the former Champion of Hoenn, having chosen to resign from his position to locate rare stones instead. Every fortnight Cynthia would meet up with Steven for dinner and they'd discuss texts of the past and other historical topics. The other gym leaders weren't interested in such things and the Elite Four members would rather watch reality shows and play video games than learn about the world around them.

"I still think you need to get out and meet some cute guy, but if you're happy then I'm happy."

Cynthia was glad the topic had been dropped. Gardenia hadn't been the only one hoping Cynthia would meet someone nice. She ignored all the comments of course but getting into a relationship now when her career was at its peak point didn't seem like the wisest choice. Besides, she was supposed to be keeping an eye on Dawn, not running around seducing men that caught her fancy.

"Do visit Roark when you can, okay? I have to be going now. Prepare yourself for a worthy challenger, Gardenia. She'll be arriving soon." Before Gardenia could ask further questions, Cynthia left the gym and headed back outside. It was somewhat chilly here. She tugged her coat around her body and moved towards the city's most famous sighting, a giant carving of a golden dragon. The statue used to have an inscription plate, but it had since been removed… or stolen.

Once a year a festival celebrating nature was held here and people would decorate the statue with flowers to show their appreciation of the beauty life presented. It wasn't festival month yet though so the city was rather quiet, but there was a man with light blue spiky hair there standing before the statue. She had never seen him before, but somehow she felt like she already knew him.

"The flower festival isn't until late September," Cynthia said, strolling over to greet the stranger, "but you can still lay a flower here if you'd like."

He turned to face her, cold blue eyes fixing on her face. "I'm not interested in flowers."

 _Ah, so he was interested in history in himself,_ Cynthia thought. She wondered if Steven knew him since Steven had contacts with everyone that was interested in stories of the past. "The inscription plate has been missing for a couple of months."

"Stolen, I presume."

She frowned. "We don't know for sure, but it's the most likely outcome." She studied him closely. She generally thought her people reading skills were quite good, but she couldn't read him. His expression never seemed to change; it was as if he were incapable of expressing emotion at all. Her trainer instinct told her this man could not be trusted.

He was studying her face as well. "You're the Champion, are you not? Cynthia?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Tell me Champion, what do you see when you look at the world around you? I'm sure someone of your reputation has experienced many things."

"I see potential."

He snorted, turning his gaze back to the statue. "Yes, so do I. The world we live in is incomplete and full of strife, but I think we're capable of achieving so much more. But this thing we call spirit… it holds us back from reaching our full potential… it weakens the mind. We're slaves to our emotions. A world devoid of spirit and feeling would be a better place, don't you agree, Champion?" He turned to face her again.

"We're going to have to disagree on that topic. If we couldn't feel the world would lose all meaning. We would be machines in human flesh. What reason would there be to live in a world like that? Spirit reminds us that we're alive and that isn't something to detest." She wasn't sure why she was defending her opinion against a stranger, but what he was saying made no sense at all. Why would someone want to rid the world of something as complex as emotion?

He looked at her for a more seconds and Cynthia thought she detected a hint of irritation in the way he slightly narrowed his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. "Remember the name, Cyrus. I'm sure we'll cross paths again, Champion. Maybe you'll understand my views the next time we meet." He walked past her without saying anything else. Cynthia watched him walk away before deciding to leave herself.

It was time to give her old friend Steven a call. As she walked away from the statue, she spotted Dawn approaching the Pokemon Centre. She quickly moved out of the girl's vision – now wasn't the right time to communicate her. Not until she had more answers to her growing number of questions. She ducked inside the old gym and stood in amongst some trees. Thankfully, there was no one here right now probably because it was the least busy time of the year for tourism here in Eterna City. She pulled out her Xtransceiver and dialled Steven's number.

"Hello, Steven. This is Cynthia. We need to talk."

.


	8. The Illusion of Control

**Chapter Seven: The Illusion of Control**

Charon and Mars entered the Galactic secondary base stationed in Eterna City. Jupiter was already there screaming at the top of her lungs as her group of grunts ran around the building, looking rather stressed. Charon chuckled at the sight – the Galactic grunts were some of the most idiotic people he had ever encountered. They could not read, they could not count and most of them failed at following simple commands. The grunts had been hired for one purpose – to do the physical work.

The commanders were simply there to keep the grunts in line and ensure all orders were being carried smoothly. If there was a problem, it was the commander's job to solve the issue. If a commander couldn't solve the issue they would seek advice from Charon who was considered the brains of the outfit. It was a position Charon was satisfied with – he got to stay at home close to the boss while working on his own grand scheme. Of course, sometimes he was sent to accompany a commander on a mission, much like the one at the Valley Windworks.

His own grand scheme was simple: Pretend to carry out Cyrus's foolish ambition while he worked on bringing his dreams one step closer to reality. The stupid naive man believed Charon was a loyal soldier (at least that's what he assumed), but he couldn't be further from the truth. While Cyrus had mastered the art of pretending not to give a damn, Charon had mastered the art of pretending to care. The Galactic boss believed every lie Charon spoke since he viewed him as his equal… well, almost.

"What are you smirking about?" Jupiter demanded, sparing a glance in Charon's direction.

"I'm pleased with our progress and I'm sure our boss will be as well," Charon replied. Jupiter studied his face, searching for a lie, but Charon gave nothing away. "We know it's possible to harvest energy from a Pokemon."

Jupiter nodded. "And what are we supposed to do with that energy?"

"That energy will be used to make the boss' vision become a reality," Charon explained.

"And what is that exactly?" Jupiter said, raising an eyebrow. "He doesn't tell us anything. He just tells us to carry out tasks to make it happen."

Mars scowled. "He doesn't tell _you_ anything because he doesn't like you!"

"He hasn't told you anything either, Mars!"

Mars fell silent, biting her bottom lip, her eyes burning with rage. Her arms fell to her side, her fingers curled into fists, as if she planned to strike out at the older woman. As amusing as this was to watch, Charon knew letting the girls argue amongst themselves was a bad idea. The girls didn't like each other much each other at all – Jupiter thought Mars was far too young to be in such an important position and Mars found Jupiter to be a bossy know-it-all irritation.

"Cyrus doesn't tell you about his ultimate goal because he wants to keep it a surprise. If he told you what his end game was… then you would know what you were striving for," Charon said. "And if you knew what the ultimate goal was you would probably break free of your oaths and abandon him."

"I would never abandon the boss!" Mars exclaimed.

"I might not like everything he says, but I'm not turning my back on him either," Jupiter said, turning her stern gaze on Charon's face. "You spend more time with the boss than any of us. What has he told you?"

"I do not know the exact details as he has not confided in me, but I have put the pieces together. I cannot say what his endgame is – there is a high chance I could be wrong and I would not want to put false ideas into your minds," Charon said. The two women seemed satisfied with his answer. Charon wondered what words Cyrus had said to convince the girls to swear an oath to serve him. They believed every single lie he said, but Charon was not so easily swayed. He knew Cyrus's end game was going to end in disaster. He had made sure it would by feeding the boss lies.

Jupiter snorted. "Well whatever the end game is we know he'll never abandon us. He chose us to be part of the leadership team for a reason." The corners of her mouth curved upwards into a satisfactory smirk. "The boss is here in Eterna City by the way so I'd report to him about your success now instead of later."

"He's here in Eterna City?" Mars repeated.

Even Charon was surprised by that information. "Perhaps he does not trust you, Jupiter."

"He's checking out that statue in the middle of the city." She jerked her head towards the door. "Go on, get out of here. If he sees you hanging around here slacking in your duties, he'll place you on janitor duties for the next week," she snapped.

"I'll tell the boss!" Mars said.

Charon shook his head. "No, I will tell him. You started a battle against a child – you involved someone else in Galactic affairs. He will not be pleased. Let me tell him what happened." Mars looked to argue back but she nodded. She left the building through the secret back door entrance which led into the nearby forest and Charon followed suit. Instead of venturing further into the Eterna Forest though, he made his way to Cyrus whom he found standing near the dragon statue.

Charon cleared his throat, drawing Cyrus's attention. "Charon."

"We succeeded… or should I say, Mars succeeded. We know it's possible to harvest energy from a Pokemon," Charon said, moving closer. "But there is a problem." His eyes never left the younger man's face.

"What problem?"

"It seems the international police are onto us. They've recruited a girl to look into our activities. It is a very good disguise I must say to use a child – who would suspect a child working for the international police?" He took another step closer, now within an arm's length away from the boss. "She reminds me of you actually."

Cyrus's eyes narrowed. "In what way?"

What was her name again? Dawn? Yes, that was it. She looked young – Charon assumed by her youthful features she was probably around the age of twelve. Not a kid, but not yet a teenager either. He managed to keep a grin from appearing on his face. "She's a cute kid. Dark blue hair, blue eyes… Dark-type Pokemon… any of this sound familiar?"

"No," he replied. His expression may not have betrayed his inner thoughts, but his tone did. He answered the question a split second quicker than usual.

"She's one of those new trainers – her Pokemon are still young and inexperienced, but she's a passionate fighter." Cyrus turned his attention from Charon, moving them to the statue again. Charon moved to stand in his line of sight. "You're avoiding the topic. Does it make you uncomfortable? I thought you didn't feel."

He knew that was going to touch a nerve. A muscle jerked in the boss's jaw. "I want you to remain in Veilstone City. You will not leave unless I give you an order directly."

His cold façade was starting to slip. The walls he had carefully built up over the years could easily be torn down if a weak spot was found. Charon decided to push harder. "Why did you visit Lake Verity first? You could've visited the ones closer to our headquarters, but you chose to visit the one furthest way. You didn't just visit Lake Verity to find Mesprit, did you?"

"You may be my most trusted commander, Charon, but I will not share everything with you." He ran a hand through his hair, a sure sign of stress. No matter how hard a person tried, feelings could not be hidden.

Charon knew he was getting closer to the truth. He just had to try a little harder. "She's yours, isn't she? You can't deny it – blue isn't exactly a common colour here in Sinnoh, and don't try to convince me that Saturn is her father… he would have never have left."

Cyrus was looking in Charon's direction, but not directly at the older man. He was looking right past him as if he were not there at all. After a few moments of silence, Cyrus turned and around and walked away from the statue. _Typical,_ Charon snorted.

"Your plan is doomed to fail, Cyrus. You can't play God. You can be responsible for the creation of a new life and you can build a company from nothing, but that doesn't make you a God."

Cyrus stopped. He glanced over his shoulder, brows furrowed. "You know nothing, Charon."

"I do," Charon smiled. "I know more than you ever will which is why you hired me in the first place, yes? Your _loyal_ commanders are beginning to lose faith in you… that is why they come to me for advice rather than ask you." That was a lie of course – Charon always promised the other commanders he would ask for answers from the boss, but he never did. The other commanders always thought he had though because he was very convincing.

"They swore an oath to serve me," Cyrus almost snarled.

Charon's smirk widened. "You're acting like a petulant child. This dream of yours… to create a new universe… is nothing more than a childish tantrum because you were mistreated when you were a child."

Cyrus took a step towards Charon. "What did you call me?"

"A petulant child. You aren't fit to rule a company, let alone your own universe. While you walk around examining statues and talking to lakes, I am putting your plan into motion. Without me at your side you would've failed a long time ago because that's the only talent you seem to have."

Talking to the boss in such a manner was something no other Galactic member would ever do – they were scared of Cyrus. Charon feared nothing – he had lived long enough to withstand the horrors of the world. Toying with the man's fragile emotional state was always a lot of fun. He was just so easy to manipulate. It was almost like a game – how far could he push him before he broke.

"I am curious though – maybe, maybe you will just prove me wrong. Perhaps you will create a new world in your image. That is why I wish to help." Another lie. He just wanted to use Cyrus because the man had the strange ability to attract people, something Charon lacked. Once he had obtained the respect of the grunt, he could overthrow Cyrus and take control and turn Galactic into a force to be reckoned with.

"You…" he growled.

Charon just smirked. "I'm surprised to hear such anger in your tone, Cyrus. I thought you were above such… weak emotions?" He gave a light-hearted chuckle. "You might fool the others into believing you are perfect, but I will not be fooled. I am not stupid like the others you have hired." Cyrus didn't say anything. He seemed to be having an internal debate with himself judging by the confusion on his face. Charon continued, bowing his head. "I will take my leave and return to Veilstone City as you have requested."

He turned to leave. Everything had worked in his favour and would continue to do so. Although Cyrus now knew he could not be trusted, he wasn't going to release him from his services. Charon had become his most important tool – the man would be an even bigger fool if he let him go. It wouldn't be too long before he had complete control.

"By the way, her name is Dawn."

.

Stepping through the arch way of Eterna City was like taking a step back into history. The place had an ancient feel to it even though the buildings were modern in their design. From her position under the arch way she could see a rather large draconic statue on a gentle sloping hill. She made her way towards it curious to learn more about the mysterious object.

As she made her way to the statue, she made sure to observe her surroundings. Every time she entered a new city it was like entering a new world. The usual buildings were there – the Pokemon Centre and the Poke Mart – but there were a few she did not recognize. There was a large multi-complex building in the north eastern part of the city and a bike shop down the main street. In terms of actual landscape scenery though there wasn't much to look at. It was plain in comparison to the tiny town of Floaroma, but still captivating.

She didn't make it very far when someone crashed into her, almost knocking her off her feet. Dawn turned around to glare at the person who had crashed into her only to find Barry smiling at her. The boy was huffing and panting – there were beads of sweat on his forehead and patches of wet on his clothes, but the boy didn't seem to care. He looked he had run a marathon. "Barry! It's so good to see you!" Dawn said, throwing herself at Barry.

Barry beamed back. "You are so slow, Dawn!"

She rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, I like to take my time."

He shrugged. "There's no time for that. I'm going to be the first trainer in the world to beat all eight gym leaders in record time!" he boasted, grinning playfully. "If you make it to the end you'll be known as the one who took the longest."

"Haven't you read the story about the _Buneary and the Turtwig_? The Buneary might be much faster, but the Turtwig won the race," Dawn said, recalling on one of the stories her mother had read to her when she was a young child. Slow and steady wins the race.

"They're just bedtime stories, Dawn. Besides, there are so many cool things to check out in each city, I just have to get there in good time. It's not my fault you can't keep up with me. Maybe you should buy a bicycle – it'll help you move faster." He grinned again, amusement shining in his eyes. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out his badge case, revealing his two shiny gym badges. One was a badge she recognized having obtained the same one from Roark, but the second one she didn't know. There was a label underneath it which read, 'Forest Badge – Eterna Gym'. "Check it out!"

Forest Badge. That meant she'd be facing up against Grass-type Pokemon. She had a type-advantage thanks to her Murkrow's Peck attack, but would it be enough? She still hadn't evolved any of her Pokemon to the next level. Deino wasn't due to evolve for quite some time and Murkrow only evolved with the assistance of dusk stone. Gastly wasn't at the right level yet to evolve into a Haunter and Turtwig still hadn't evolved. According to her Pokedex, Turtwig should've evolved by now. She wondered if it had anything to do with the missing leaf on his head. Had it slowed his evolution process?

"Anyway, I hear there are some weird spacemen running around causing trouble. Someone managed to drive them away from Valley Windworks. I wish I was there to help but I had other things to do. Do you know who had?"

Dawn arched a brow. Barry moved so fast he missed out on many important details. "It was me. I stumbled upon them by accident, but I did drive them out."

His jaw dropped. "That's pretty cool, Dawn! I guess that's why you took so long to get here? It's good what you did, but remember, beating gym leaders is your number one goal so don't get too caught up in fighting the bad guys otherwise you'll always be behind me!" He gave her a cheeky smile. Dawn just laughed. Barry might be impulsive and foolhardy, but he was still her best friend. She definitely preferred his company over Lucas' any day.

"Where are you off to next?"

He gazed upwards. "Uh… let me think… I'll just check my map… I knew I circled it somewhere…" He glanced down at his bag, yanked the flap open and dug his arms in. His eyes widened. "Oh no, I left my map back at the Trainer's School!"

Dawn had to laugh at the despair written on his face. The thought of having to retrace his steps back to Jubilife probably terrified him because it meant wasting time. "I guess that means I'll have time to catch up with your progress… probably even overtake you," she teased.

"No way, it won't take me long. If I start running now I'll get there by tomorrow at the latest. See you later, Dawn! Remember, don't fall behind!" He sped away, his shoes kicking sand in her face. Dawn coughed, closing her eyes as she swatted at the sand around her. Once the sand had cleared, she reopened her eyes again and spotted a blue haired man standing a couple of metres away. She recognized him immediately as the same guy she saw back in Lake Verity.

He didn't push her aside this time rather, he stood in one spot studying her from afar. He then took a few brisk steps towards her which prompted Dawn to take a few back. "Dawn." He spoke her name like it was some sort of foreign word to him.

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "I remember you… you're Cyrus."

"You remembered."

She looked at him, uncertain. Why was he talking to her now? "Is there anything I can help you with?" she said, trying to quell the nerves that were building within her. He didn't look like a threat – at least, he didn't look like one of those silly spacemen, but he still exuded this mysterious aura. She found herself drawn to him, like a moth drawn to a light.

"I wish to give you a gift," he said slowly, beginning to walk around her.

Her eyes never left him. "A gift?" That wasn't too odd since she had been receiving quite a few gifts in the recent days. "Why?"

"Must you ask so many questions?" He reached down into his pockets and pulled out a black stone. Dawn had never been interested in stones before but she could appreciate its beauty. She reached her hand out and took the stone from him, surprised by the lightness of it. It was as big as her palm yet weighed as much as a feather. It was also rather warm to touch which was strange considering a stone wasn't a living creature. "I have no need for it, but you might. It's a dusk stone."

A dusk stone? Weren't they used for evolving Murkrows? "Aren't these stones supposed to be rare?" She didn't expect to come across one until much later. _Perfect timing,_ she thought. But how had he known she could make use of it? Had he been… spying on her? She wasn't going to complain about receiving a free item since she did need one. "Thanks."

"Do not thank me."

He continued to study her face then averted his gaze and turned around to walk away leaving a rather confused Dawn standing behind. She had a feeling she'd be crossing paths with him again. This was the second time in just a few days she had seen him. Placing the stone in her bag, she immediately made her way to the Pokemon Gym. Barry had told her to get on with it in the nicest way possible.

Pushing aside thoughts of her brief encounter with Cyrus, Dawn pushed open the doors and stepped inside the gym. The advisor she had met earlier was here too – did he run back and forth between gyms? How had he gotten here so fast? _What a strange man,_ Dawn thought.

"I'm not surprised to see you here!" he smiled.

"What can you tell me about this gym?" She had a suspicion it was something to do with grass-types judging by the badge Barry had shown her, but she wanted to let the man do his job.

"Gardenia is the gym leader and she specializes in Grass-types!" He turned his head to the flower petal in the middle of the room. "Do you see that? You'll have to use that to cross the moat to reach the gym leader! You can only do that by battling the trainers here though. Every time you defeat one, the petal moves. Don't get too distracted by the scent of flowers – focus your mind on the battles ahead!" he said with a grin.

Now that he mentioned it, she could smell the flowers. The scent here was far stronger than in Floaroma Town. The colours were beautiful too. She felt at peace being inside the gym. Don't get distracted, she told herself, as she approached the first trainer. Her name was Caroline.

The girl looked up at Dawn and gave her a brilliant smile. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Flowers are so beautiful, but it's sad that some people can't appreciate their beauty. Let's battle!" She immediately moved her fingers to the belt around her waist, fingers wrapping around her first of two pokeballs. She flung it out.

Dawn threw out her Murkrow. This should be a rather easy battle, she thought. All she had to do was take advantage of the grass-type Pokemon's weakness and she'd breeze through this gym. A Pokemon which looked like a cherry appeared. It had a leaf stem on its head which had a secondary smaller head attached to it. Looking at the cute round Pokemon, Dawn could see why grass-type Pokemon weren't taken seriously. She remembered to pull out her Pokedex to obtain information on this strange Pokemon.

 _Cherubi. The small ball is not only full of nutrients, it is also tasty. Starly try to peck it off._

She lowered her arm and prepared to do battle.

"Go, Murkrow!" She threw out her avian. Murkrow flew in circles above her trainer's head, his beady eyes focused on the target. Murkrow looked eager to test out his move, Wing Attack. "Murkrow, use Wing Attack!" Murkrow crowed, hovered in the air and brought his wings together, sending forth a flurry of feathers in the direction of Cherubi.

Upon impact, the Cherubi was flung into the air. It sailed across the room, only stopping as it hit the eastern wall. "Use Tackle, Cherubi!" The cherry Pokemon bounced forward, propelled itself into the air using its leaf and attacked. The Cherubi made contact with Murkrow but fortunately its weak stature did hardly any damage.

"Finish it off with Peck, Murkrow!" Dawn ordered.

Murkrow flapped his wings eagerly, and swooped down, striking the Cherubi in between the eyes before pulling away. The two Cherubi heads groaned as it flopped down onto its side. "Oh no! My cute Pokemon!" Caroline wailed, recalling her fainted Cherubi to its ball. She threw out her second pokeball shooting Dawn a glare. "This time you're going to lose."

Dawn expected another cute grass-type Pokemon to appear. This time a small, light green bipedal Pokemon with three thorns on its head appeared. It waved its arms in the air as if they were maracas, except they were roses instead. One rose was crimson red and the other a deep shade of blue. Dawn scratched her nose. The Pokemon's dancing seemed to fill the air with an even stronger scent of flower.

 _Roselia. The more healthy the Roselia, the more pleasant its flowers' aroma. Its scent deeply relaxes people._

"Murkrow, use Wing Attack!"

This was proving to be far easier than the battle against Roark's minions. At least their Pokemon managed to inflict some form of damage on hers, but this was far too simple. No wonder Barry had breezed through this area. Murkrow brought his wings together and sent forth many piercing feathers to strike down the Roselia. Roselia uttered a high pitched cry and shook its body, releasing toxins into the air.

The visible toxins merged together to create a small cloud of poisonous gas. It moved towards the Murkrow shrouding it in poison. Murkrow tried to push the clouds away with his wings, but the cloud would not move. Murkrow turned a shade of purple as the cloud evaporated. Poisoned. Fortunately, Dawn had remembered to purchase some antidotes.

She rushed over to her Pokemon's aid and knelt down to give her Murkrow a dose of the antidote. Murkrow's purple glow faded. The bird fluffed himself up and took to the air once again.

"Roselia, use Poison Sting!" A barbed seed erupted from the Roselia's red rose. It hurtled towards Murkrow, striking him in the chest. Murkrow shuddered, but fortunately did not get poisoned again.

"Finish this battle, Murkrow! Use Wing Attack!" Murkrow sent another flurry of feathers in Roselia's direction, his feathers digging deep into the Roselia's body. Roselia released a groan and fell, landing on its back, its arms hanging loosely at its sides. Dawn threw a fist into the air. One trainer down and two more to go.

"Oh… my precious grass Pokemon…" Caroline groaned. "But you won the battle and that means you can walk over the petal to reach the next trainer." The flower sprung to life. The two petals of the flower moved in opposite directions until a bridge developed, connecting Dawn's position to the trainer hiding on the eastern wall.

Dawn walked away from Caroline and carefully walked over the petal bridge. The flower was surprisingly very sturdy. She hopped off the bridge and approached the second trainer, her eyes scanning for a name tag. Jenna. "I see you defeated my little sister, but you won't get past me! Your journey ends here, trainer! It's triple battle time!" She threw out her three pokeballs.

This was certainly going to be an interesting triple battle. Would she use three of the same Pokemon or a variety? "Murkrow, Deino and Gastly! Go for it!" Dawn exclaimed, releasing her Pokemon from their pokeballs.

"Budew!" Three bipedal, rose-bud Pokemon with bright yellow faces appeared. Dawn consulted her Pokedex.

 _Budew. The pre-evolved form of Roselia. Sensitive to changing temperature, the bud is said to bloom when it feels the sun's warm touch._

The Budew uttered weak cries and shook themselves simultaneously, releasing pollen into the air. Dawn sneezed. She was really beginning to dislike these plant-type Pokemon.

"Murkrow, use Wing Attack! Deino, use Dragon Rage! Gastly, use Night Shade!" Murkrow's feathers rained down on the first Budew causing the rose-bud Pokemon to faint immediately. Deino roared, and emitted a beam of draconic rage towards the second Budew who fainted upon impact. Gastly's new move caused the lights in the room to switch off as invisible hands almost squeezed the life out of the final Budew. The third Budew fainted as the lights turned back on.

"You're so mean! My poor baby Budews…" Jenna mumbled.

The flower petal machine whirred again. Once again the petals moved to form another bridge connecting the eastern side to the western side. Dawn's Pokemon followed behind her as she made her way to the third trainer. If all the gyms in Sinnoh were this easy she'd become the new Champion in record time.

"You'll have to beat me to reach Gardenia, but that's not going to happen!" said Angela, pointing a finger at Dawn. "I'm the strongest of the gym trainers and the eldest of the sisters. This won't be an easy fight."

Dawn wasn't too sure about that assumption because the previous battles had been rather easy. She sent out her Murkrow to deal with her final obstacle. The quicker the battle was finished, the quicker she could move on. "Okay Murkrow, this is your battle!" Murkrow took to the air again, beating his wings rapidly, flying around in circles, cawing.

Angela summoned her only Pokemon, a Roselia, to the battlefield. "You won't get past my Roselia."

"Murkrow, use Peck!" Murkrow flew up as high as he could go then swooped down, raking his talons and beak forward. His beak struck Roselia's head, knocking the Roselia over onto the ground. Roselia groaned with pain.

"Roselia, use Magical Leaf!" Roselia picked itself up from the ground and lunged forward, throwing a punch with its red rose hand. Red petals hurtled towards Murkrow, covering the avian in red petals eventually dragging the bird down. Murkrow fell to the ground, but fortunately, didn't appear to have taken much damage. Didn't the lady know not to use grass-type moves against a flying-type?

"Use Wing Attack!" Murkrow happily obliged. He jumped back into the air and flapped his wings, then brought them together sending forth many feather arrows. They pierced the Roselia's fragile body causing the plant Pokemon to emit a pained gasp. Roselia flopped to the ground. _Another victory for me,_ thought Dawn.

"I made the mistake of underestimating your Pokemon. Go now and face off against the toughest trainer in Eterna City, Gardenia." Angela retrieved her Pokemon as Dawn made her way back to the petal. The petals moved again forming another bridge, this time bridging the western and northern side. She made her way across the petals and approached Gardenia.

The woman's attire was far less feminine than the other ladies in the gym, having opted to dress in an outdoorsy fashion. She wore a loose fitting green top which exposed her flat stomach and orange baggy shorts. She looked like she was ready to go camping in that attire.

"Hi, I'm Gardenia! I'm this town's gym leader! My last challenger was this awfully speedy young guy… Actually, his name was Barry. He told me about you. He said that another challenger's on the way, so that made me angsty. When I first saw you step through the door, I was convinced you'd find your way to me. My hunch was right on the money. You have a winning aura about you. So, anyway, this will be fun. Let's have our battle!"

Dawn took in a couple of deep breaths and braced herself for battle.

.

Much to her surprise, Gardenia had a Turtwig in her possession as well. Had she received the Turtwig from the Professor or had she obtained it by other means? Perhaps Gardenia would know why her Turtwig hadn't evolved yet, but now wasn't the time to worry about it. She had a gym badge to obtain. "Murkrow, use Peck!"

Murkrow flew around in circles above the Turtwig's head as if it were making fun of the slower Pokemon. Gardenia's Turtwig tried to attack Murkrow, but the Pokemon was far too slow to land an attack. Murkrow dove down and tapped the baby tortoise on its head causing the opponent to wince.

"Turtwig, use Grass Knot!"

Unlike her Turtwig, Gardenia's one still had a leaf. A web made of leaves burst from the Turtwig's mouth trapping Murkrow within. Murkrow crashed to the ground, fighting desperately to free himself from its trap. The web tightened around Murkrow's body, squeezing it until Murkow paled. Only then did the web break apart. Murkrow struggled to climb to his feet, but the avian seemed in condition to continue battling.

"Use Wing Attack, Murkrow! Take down that Turtwig now!"

Murkrow stretched his wings and lifted himself up into the air and sent a flurry of feathers down at his target. Feathers pierced the Turtwig's body inflicting a great deal of pain upon the Pokemon. Turtwig swayed from side to side until he rolled over onto his shell, his stumpy legs waving around in the air.

"You're good," Gardenia commented, returning her Turtwig back to its pokeball. "Let's see how you'll fare against my next Pokemon. Go, Cherrim!" What looked to be like a giant cherry with a purple covering appeared from Gardenia's second pokeball. Dawn held up her Pokedex to obtain data.

 _Cherrim. The evolved form of Cherubi. If it senses strong sunlight, it opens its folded petals to absorb the sun's rays with its whole body._

"Murkrow, use Wing Attack!" For the second time during this battle against Gardenia, Murkrow used Wing Attack. Feathers rained down upon the Cherrim, cutting into its purple leaf covering. The Cherrim was tougher than it looked though and remained standing.

"Cherrim, use Magical Leaf!" The leaves on the Cherrim's head turned into a rainbow of colours. The Cherrim swayed around in a circle, gathering speed, then thrusted forward, hurling a number of leaves in Murkrow's direction. Having battled all the matches so far, Murkrow no longer had any energy left. He fell to the ground, his eyes closed.

"I'm so sorry, Murkrow…" Dawn murmured. She returned Murkrow to her pokeball and sent forth her Deino. If any Pokemon on her team could win the match in one hit, it was her Deino's Dragon Rage attack. The dragon roared and gnashed his jaws at the air. "Deino, use Dragon Rage!" Deino opened his mouth. Seconds later, a purple beam of draconic energy exited his mouth, striking the Cherrim, causing it to faint immediately.

Gardenia lifted a brow. "It's not the end yet." She returned Cherrim then threw out her final pokeball. A Pokemon that looked like a more mature version of Roselia appeared, fanning itself with its petals. The only major difference between the Roselia and the Roserade was the tuft of white hair made of roses sitting on its head.

 _Roserade. The evolved form of Roselia. Each of its hands contains different toxins, but both hands can jab with near-fatal power._

She put it away into her bag and braced herself for what was going to be a tough match. All she needed was to land one Dragon Rage and she'd win, but would it be that easy?

"Roserade, use Poison Sting!"

Roserade slammed its two petal hands together, forcing a poisonous barb to burst out. It hurtled through the air and pierced Deino's chest. Deino growled. The poisonous barb sunk further into his skin turning Deino a shade of purple. Dawn immediately searched through her bag only to realize she had no more antidotes left.

"Hang in there, Deino! Use Dragon Rage!" Deino sent forth another beam of Dragon Rage, but the Roserade simply tumbled out of the way. Dawn bit her bottom lip. The battle wasn't going to be _that_ easy.

"Roserade, use Magical Leaf!"

Raising its two petal hands above its head, Roserade shook them until each petal turned into one of the seven colours of a rainbow. The leaves rocketed through the air, each leaf hitting Deino with a fair amount of force. With each hit, Deino stumbled backwards. Thankfully, Deino had enough endurance to withstand the attack. "Deino, use Dragon Rage again!" Roserade danced out of the away, successfully evading the attack by an inch.

"Roserade, use Grass Knot!"

The bipedal Pokemon rushed forward, leapt into the air and threw down a web of leaves. Deino wasn't fast enough to move out of the way and became entangled. He thrashed, trying to break free, but the web was strong. The web of leaves constricted the dragon leaving him breathless, but still in a condition to fight.

"Use Dragon Rage, Deino!" She crossed her fingers. Third time lucky, she thought. Deino sent forth another beam of draconic rage and this time, it met its target. All the dancing around must've drained the Roserade of some energy because its movements were a few seconds slower than before. The sheer power of the beam drove Roserade into the nearby wall. Deino twitched as the poison continued to seep through his veins. _One more hit,_ Dawn thought. _Just one more lucky hit._

"Use Grass Knot, Roserade!"

Roserade leapt into the air again and threw down another web. Once again, Deino found himself covered in web. There had to be a way to free her dragon before the web did its damage. The web snared its victims… could the web be broken before it inflicted damage? "Deino, use Bite on the web!" Deino opened his mouth and clamped his small fangs around a string of leaves. He chewed, looking somewhat disgusted, but continued to do so until he had opened a large enough hole to scramble through.

"Oh darn," Gardenia wailed.

"Finish this battle with Dragon Rage!"

Deino sent forth a mighty beam. The beam of energy slammed into the Roserade's belly. Roserade was knocked off its feet and thrown into the wall it had made contact with before. It slid down the wall, falling face first into the ground. Dawn wiped her brow. "Phew," she murmured.

"Amazing!" Gardenia exclaimed, recalling her fainted Roserade to its pokeball. She walked over to Dawn, a wide smile on her face. "You are really tough! Wasn't it hard for you to raise your Pokemon to be so good? I guess that's a measure of how much you love your Pokemon. In recognition of that, I proudly grant you this!" She reached into the pockets of her shorts and pulled out a shiny gym badge.

"Thanks," Dawn said.

"If there's one thing I can tell about you, it's this! You and your Pokemon are gonna get even tougher, and I mean seriously! Here, take this potion as well. It contains the move Cut." Dawn waved goodbye to Gardenia and made her way back to the entrance of the gym. Before going anywhere further, she was going to have to heal her Pokemon.


	9. Shades of Grey

**Chapter Eight: Shades of Grey**

Hearthome City was the last place in Sinnoh Cyrus wanted to visit – it was loud, it was colourful and full of really annoying people. Today, it was worse than usual. It was just his luck that pop icon Marina was arriving. That meant more annoying people to deal with. Some of his grunts had wanted the day off just to get a glimpse of the girl, but Cyrus had threatened them with a week of janitor duties should he find any of them slacking off. That's why he was here now to ensure there were no slackers around.

He had some form of respect for Marina though – she was a leader in her own way, having influenced a mass group of people to worship her every action. All she had to do was parade around like a fool onstage in ridiculous clothes and sing nonsensical lyrics into a microphone to get thousands of people to love her. People sacrificed everything just to get a glimpse of her. It was revolting, really.

Marina's arrival was perfect though. It gave his Galactic grunts and commanders extra time to complete their simple tasks without attracting the attention of the authorities. It also gave him protection. No one would suspect him of suspicious behaviour if he blended in with the crowd and pretended to act normal. Besides, being here gave him some time to himself to reflect on Charon's words about Dawn.

How she reminded him so much of her mother. She had inherited her mother's dark blue hair and the dark blue of her eyes, but he could see himself in her as well, such as the structure of the face. He wondered what other similarities they shared? He repeated her name in his head. It wasn't a name he'd choose for her if he had chosen, but he couldn't change it now.

"Oh my Arceus, that's her, Rihanna! It's Marina!" One of the young girls standing nearby squealed. He cringed at the noise. Did they have to scream so loud? "She actually got to meet Lance! How lucky is she? I wish I could meet him… he's so dreamy…"

Her friend, Rihanna, jumped up and down, her blonde pigtails bouncing. "I got my question answered by Lance himself thanks to Marina!" Cyrus felt himself pushed aside as the two girls made their way through the crowd. Although they were now a few feet away, he could still hear their comments.

"He's the hottest Champion! I would totally love to get my hands on him…"

Rihanna nodded. "I know, right? I would love to see what he looks like without that sexy cape on."

Cyrus wished he could block out their annoying voices. He didn't care what Lance looked like without his cape on. All he wanted was a place to stay for the night. The crowd surged forward again as more people tried to force their way to the front. Someone rammed into his back with their elbow. He spun around immediately and spotted one of his female grunts.

She wasn't wearing the uniform, but he could recognize that dumb bowl haircut anywhere. Her hazel eyes widened, her lips parting open. "Boss?" she whimpered, face paling dramatically.

He glared down at her. She seemed to shrink in size. "Did you hope to fool me by changing out of your uniform?" He didn't bother keeping his voice low. He could hardly hear himself talk with all the fangirling going on around him. Another teenage girl bumped into him. "You will be punished accordingly for neglecting your duty. Head back to the base and do whatever Charon commands you to do."

"Why are you here, boss?"

"Rule number one, do not ask questions."

She nodded, eyes welling up with tears. She turned around and navigated her way through the crowd. He turned back around. It was a bad idea to have come here. His irritation levels were growing at a rapid rate. "Fashion coordinator of Twinleaf Town coming through! Excuse me!" Once again, he felt someone push into his back.

He glanced over his shoulder and spotted a familiar blue haired female trying to navigate her way through. "Johanna."

At the mention of her name she froze. She peered up at him. "Cyrus?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?" She didn't sound too thrilled to see him. In fact, she seemed eager to get away from him as fast as possible since she went back the way she had come. He grabbed her arm holding her in place and drew her back towards him.

"You and I need to talk. Alone."

She paused then said, "Follow me."

.

Fantina prowled the aisles of the shopping centre searching for something that would spice up her outfit. The most glamorous of stars were rumoured to be visiting Hearthome City and Fantina knew she couldn't pass this opportunity up. It wasn't often superstars from other regions visited Sinnoh – most people preferred to remain in their own regions where they felt at home rather than go exploring.

But Marina was visiting and she was bringing along with her the latest fashion trends in her homeland of Johto. Marina was known mostly for being the administrator of the Lance Fan Club, but she was also a popular actress, model and a singer. She had access to all the latest fashion designs and could get anyone a backstage pass to a special event. Of course, she only gave special permission to people she liked so Fantina made sure to keep the bubbly girl on her good side.

Marina wasn't the main reason she was shutting down the gym for a temporary period of time. There was an imbalance in the Spirit World and she needed to consult with other walkers about its meaning. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anyone worthy to battle anyway – the last challenger who had reached her gym failed to make it past the starting gym trainer and that was well over three months ago.

Fantina made her way to the Super Contest Hall where a large crowd of eager fans were stationed outside. She pushed her way past, not caring at all if she rubbed some of the fans the wrong way. She did not care about them at all – there was no common trainer worthy enough of her attention, let alone her respect. Some of the fans grumbled, but Fantina didn't stop until she had reached the entrance. The security guards stepped aside allowing the gym leader within the halls of the infamous building.

"You finally made it," said a male voice from behind her, prompting Fantina to glance over her shoulder immediately. He was shorter than herself and younger by a couple of years, but she saw him as her equal. He specialized with the ghost-types and he too could traverse the Spirit World where most could not. "I hope this is worth it. I do have rather important matters to attend to back home," he added, arms crossed over his chest, calm eyes boring into hers.

"You're as welcoming as ever Morty," Fantina replied curtly. "I didn't invite you to attend this event just to socialize – I wanted to talk to you about the uneasiness in our world. The Pokemon in the Lost Tower are unsettled and you know as well as I do that is not a promising sign of good fortune for the people of Sinnoh." She grabbed a chair and sat down and motioned for Morty to follow. He took a seat across from her.

He leaned back in his chair. "These are troubling times for us all. Team Rocket has reformed, Ho-Oh has still not returned to the Bell Tower and our Champion acts like a spoilt child while Red continues to hide. Whatever threatens Sinnoh can't be as dangerous as the black cloud that hangs over Johto and Kanto." He readjusted his scarf.

"The issues that trouble your land are the faults of your people. Your 'Champion' is nothing more than an arrogant bull-headed fool who thinks the world revolves around himself." She sighed and took in a deep breath. "There is a dark force at work here and it grows stronger with each passing day. Malevolent spirits are searching for the one who will release the shadow beast from the chains that bind him. The world as we know it will cease to exist."

"You are being overly dramatic."

She placed a hand on his. "I am being cautious."

Morty pulled his hand away. "What do you see?"

"I was hoping you would venture into the realm with me to see it for yourself." She offered her hand and he took it with hesitance. An adventure in the Spirit World was never to be treated lightly. One mistake and a trainer would lose their minds forever, consumed by the spirits that roamed the realm. The Spirit World allowed a ghost-type trainer to see true nature of the souls of the living around them.

There were three glows visible in the realm. The pure emitted a white glow, the tainted had a grey hue and the impure radiated a purple aura. Fantina had traversed the realm many times to track down the unworthy, but it was always dangerous. Hostile spirits belonging to the deceased patrolled the realm searching for a weak heart to prey upon. If a ghost-type trainer failed to protect their mind they would fall to the power of a hostile spirit. The results were not pretty.

Fantina had once laid her eyes upon a fellow trainer being disembowelled by a couple of Haunters. The pair had drained the trainer of life, while they ripped apart his flesh, discarding the bones while feasting on his organs. A death in the Spirit World was not a death in the real world, but it came close. A victim often lost control of their body rendering them useless.

It was a truly frightening experience to witness. Fantina did not wish such a foul act even upon her worst enemy. Being trapped in your body while your mind was alive was far worse than death itself. Fantina curled her fingers around Morty's right hand and closed her eyes. To enter the Spirit World, a ghost-type trainer must consume a spoonful of blood of a ghost-type Pokemon. Blood wasn't easily obtained however as it required a powerful bond between master and Pokemon.

Consuming just a spoonful allowed the trainer to enter through a rift for a short period of time. Failure to exit the world within the time limit meant the trainer was stuck in the Spirit World forever. A maximum of one hour could be spent here. Fantina summoned her Mismagius as Morty summoned his Gengar.

"I hope you make this worth my while," Morty said, turning to face his Gengar. He gave his Pokemon the order to cut itself and Gengar willingly obliged, dragging his sharp fingers into his flesh. A trickle of blood leaked out of the wound. Morty placed his hands underneath the wound and caught a few drops as Fantina did the same with her Mismagius. Once there was enough blood, Fantina brought her hand to her mouth and licked it. Immediately, she felt a wave of nausea grip her mind.

Drinking even a tiny amount of a ghost-type Pokemon's blood brought on quite a number of side effects. Headaches and nausea were the most common symptoms, but it also had an effect on vision, hearing and a person's sense of smell. For a short period of time, a trainer could see through walls, hear voices from within a miles radius and could smell decomposing flesh.

Morty brought a hand to his head and winced. "You owe me, Fantina."

A fog door appeared before them – the rift entrance to the Spirit World. Fantina stepped through the rift first and Morty followed close behind, their hands clasping each other. The Spirit World was generally visited alone – if a trainer wanted to invite someone into their world, they had to share some form of physical contact and not break it for the duration of their visit.

"This is your version of the Spirit World? A misty pine forest?" Morty said.

"It seems fitting."

"My adventures in the Spirit World takes place in the forest around the Bell Tower," Morty responded.

Fantina didn't reply – she ventured deeper into the forest ignoring the pure souls that walked past them. What was important were the souls that were impure and tainted for they were the ones most likely to cause collateral damage. Souls had no faces so it was hard to put names to faces in the real world, but an aura could be felt if within range. It came down to luck when it came to making correct assumptions.

She came to an abrupt stop, pulling Morty behind a thick tree and covered his mouth. A spirit with a purple hue walked by, carrying a blood stained spear in its right hand. It weaved in between the trees and stopped before another spirit with a white glow then plunged its weapon into the white spirit's back. The purple spirit devoured the other one, turning its colour a deeper shade of purple.

"What in the name of Arceus…" Fantina head Morty mutter.

A spirit was devouring other spirits in the realm. In the real world that meant someone was using others for their own gain, but to what end exactly? Fantina couldn't tell. "We have to get out there before the spirit sees us. Keep your guard up. We are not safe here."

.

"What troubles you, Cynthia? It is not like you to wear a frown," Steven said, sitting down in the chair across from her. They were currently seated at one of the popular cafes in Jubilife City as Steven had dropped by to visit the developers at the Poketch Company.

Cynthia leaned put her menu aside. "You once said that darkness spreads… I believe that darkness has reached my homeland." She crossed her right leg over her right then leaned forward, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Have you heard of the name Cyrus before?" she said, looking directly into the man's eyes.

Steven looked thoughtful. "I can't recall the name… Cyrus… Hmmm… Wait… It does sound familiar… Blue hair, right?"

She nodded. "I think he is the darkness that you were warning me about. I met with him earlier and he was rambling on about a world devoid of spirit. But that is impossible, isn't it? You can't rid of the world of feeling." She tilted her head to the right studying Steven's face.

The man was only a few years older than herself, but he was far more experienced in these matters since he had dealt with criminals before. He was also an intelligent man having spent quite a number of years exploring ruins, studying ancient relics of the past to understand the present better. If anyone knew what Cyrus's true intentions were Steven would know.

"The name does sound familiar now that you mention it… I met his grandparents while I was in Sunyshore one time." Cynthia lifted her brows at this piece of information. Cyrus lived in Sunyshore? "They were nice to me. They invited me into their home and we sat down and had some tea. We discussed my work and my plans for the future. They mentioned Cyrus's name quite often. A brilliant mind they said, but a troubled one."

A young lady carrying her iced chocolate came over and placed it on the table. There was a mountain of cream on the top like she had asked. Picking up her spoon, she scooped up some cream and brought it to her mouth, relishing in the flavour. Her grandmother wouldn't approve of her taste in drink, but she wasn't present so it didn't matter. "Troubled?"

Steven frowned. "It wasn't my place to pry for details, but they mentioned their grandson had been kicked out of home by his parents."

"His parents?"

Steven nodded. "It's a sad tale, but I will tell you if it clears your mind." Cynthia nodded. Learning the facts about the man's history would help her understand him better to see if he was a threat or not. "His father was a scientist who was interested in energy sources and his mother was just a housewife. The father came up with the idea to use windmills to generate electricity for the cities in Sinnoh securing his place as the richest man in Sinnoh's history. But he wanted more and sought to find other alternatives to creating electricity."

"What happened then?" Cynthia said, taking another scoop of whipped cream from her iced chocolate. The waitress came back a few moments later with Steven's beef burger and orange juice. Another waitress arrived seconds afterwards with Cynthia's garden salad. She took the menus and walked away.

Steven took a bite out of his burger then put it down after swallowing. He helped himself to some juice then continued. "He became obsessed with finding a new source it started to put a strain on his relationship with his wife. He refused to communicate with her unless he needed something. He'd spend his days locked up in his office working on solutions while his wife took care of the household duties. She planned to divorce the man, but that all changed when she found out she was pregnant."

"She stayed with him then."

He nodded. "Yes, she did. She was miserable with him, but she didn't want to raise her child without a father figure present. A trimester later, a baby boy was born. They called him Cyrus. His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps. While most kids were playing outside with their friends and Pokemon, Cyrus remained indoors with his father studying. It wasn't the bonding moment one would expect though – his father was quick to anger."

"He mistreated his family?"

He pressed his lips together in a grim smile. "He was a man who could not tolerate failure. He became accustomed to beating his wife every time she argued with his opinion and he punished his son in the same fashion because he failed to keep up. His father informed his colleagues his son brought shame to the family name and he wanted him disowned. When Cyrus reached the age of ten, his father kicked him out of home because he couldn't tolerate the sight of failure. All he had was a Zubat given to him by his mother."

Cynthia's gaze softened. It explained why Cyrus seemed to despise emotions so much. "What happened to the mother?"

Steven paused, taking another bite of his burger. He wiped his mouth clean and frowned. "She died. She didn't want to live with a monster so she took her own life instead of seeking a fresh start. She poisoned her husband then she poisoned herself unable to live with the crime she had committed. His grandparents regret having done nothing to help. Cyrus disappeared. It was believed he had met a tragic death himself, but he was found by Professor Rowan a few years later."

"Professor Rowan knew him?"

"For a short time, yes. He was responsible for introducing his niece Johanna to Cyrus. He thought she could help him. Cyrus didn't stick around for too long though – he claimed he was going to achieve something his father could not and left." Steven rubbed his chin.

This was a lot of information to absorb. Cynthia felt her head spin just thinking about it. Johanna was Professor Rowan's niece… Professor Rowan introduced Cyrus to Johanna… Cyrus left shortly afterwards to surpass his father… Her grandmother seemed to really detest Dawn's father… A sudden thought dawned on her. It was a troubling thought. Dawn's father was Cyrus.

She stood up from her seat abruptly, knocking her iced chocolate over in the process. The glass fell down and rolled off the table and landed on the ground, breaking into hundreds of different pieces. Other guests in the outdoor area of the café glanced in her direction. Steven looked up, alarmed. "Cynthia?"

"I need to find Dawn."

Steven sat up and grabbed Cynthia's arm. "What's wrong?"

She was aware the other guests were watching. Fortunately, the other guests did not rush over to ask for autographs. They knew not to ask a well-known name for autographs and photos in an eating area. "It all makes sense to me now..."

His grip tightened. "Sit down, Cynthia. Please," he said softly. "The other guests are watching." He jerked his head to the right. Indeed, everyone was watching her. Thank Arceus the media weren't around otherwise she'd be all over the news. She could just imagine the title, 'Champion has a public meltdown' or even worse, 'Cynthia has a meltdown. Ex-Champion Steven comforts her. Possible romance?'

Cynthia took in a couple of deep breaths and sat down calming herself down. It did nothing to slow her racing heartbeat. Carolina had said Dawn's father was a dangerous man. What sort of danger was Dawn in? Was Team Galactic involved in this mess somehow? "I need to return to Eterna City, Steven."

"Not until you tell me what is going on. Who is Dawn? And who is Galactic?"

She searched her mind for answers. She barely knew much about Galactic – up until recently, they hadn't done anything wrong, but that appeared to be changing. But why now? Why make themselves known to the public as a force to be reckoned with? "They're criminals…" she said slowly, piecing together the information she had received from newspapers and television programmes. "They claim to be searching for alternate energy sources…" Just like Cyrus's father had intended do… Was Cyrus the man behind the creation of Galactic? It had been her who had signed the contract to allow them to build their buildings.

Steven frowned, concern taking hold of his features. "Team Rocket? Team Aqua? Team Magma?"

Cynthia shook her head. "No, they're worse. Team Rocket was fuelled by greed and money. Team Aqua and Team Magma's leaders were extreme environmentalists… Galactic want to create an entirely new universe…" That's why they were searching for alternate energy sources so they could somehow generate enough power to create an entirely new universe.

"And Dawn?"

"Dawn is Johanna's daughter. _Cyrus's_ daughter."

Steven raised his head slightly. "You think he's going to use her?"

"I swore I would protect Dawn from harm."

"You don't know if he will harm her."

"I'm not taking any risks. I've known Dawn since her birth." Cynthia rose from her seat again. "I may not have been with her as much as I would've liked, but she's like a sister to me. I need to tell her the truth before he does." She rubbed her temples. Throughout her three year reign as Champion, never had she faced something as great as this. "Goodbye, Steven." She hurried away from the café leaving Steven alone to clean up her mess. She hoped she wasn't too late.

.

Johanna led him inside the building which thankfully, was much quieter. Several security members walked over to approach Johanna. "Excuse me, madam. We will need to validate your pass. The doors aren't open to the public yet," said the first officer.

She nodded and pulled out her VIP card. The second officer brought his face close and read the words on it. "You may pass, Johanna." The security guards turned to face him next. Unlike Johanna, he didn't have a pass. Were they going to drag him out?

"We need to see your pass as well."

Johanna clung onto his arm. "He's my partner."

The first officer gave her a suggestive smile. "Most of the rooms are booked out already, but there are a few… rooms left." The other guard chuckled. "Please enjoy your stay. I hope you both enjoy the show. It's going to be a great one." The guards walked away, their laughter filling the air. Cyrus glared daggers at their backs. What were they laughing about?

"Don't worry about them, they're just doing their job," Johanna said, leading him over towards the counter. A lady with bright baby blue eyes gave them a dazzling smile revealing her brilliant white teeth. "We'd like to book a room, please," Johanna said. "It's just the two of us."

The lady grinned and winked. "We've only got a couple of honey room suites left. Will that be all right?"

Cyrus opened his mouth to argue that it would not be all right, but Johanna answered first. She smiled and nodded. "That'll be perfectly fine, thank you." She signed a few papers for the receptionist then dragged Cyrus up the stairs and towards the suite section, after putting the key in her pocket. "Don't say anything. You wanted to talk in private… this is as private as it gets."

They reached the room which had '69' engraved on the front. _As if this couldn't get even more humiliating,_ Cyrus thought. Johanna inserted the key and turned it clockwise then stepped inside. He followed, and she closed it quickly and locked it. She moved away to him and immediately sat down on the king size double bed and gazed around the room.

He followed her eyes. The room wasn't that bad actually although it did leave him feeling a little uncomfortable. Their room was the third and final floor and also one of the largest rooms. They even had their own private balcony overlooking Hearthome City. "Not bad, not bad at all…" Johanna mused, running her hands across the surface of the bed. "It's quite firm."

Cyrus searched around the room for a sofa. He had hoped to sleep on the couch while she had the bed, but there was nothing except for two non-reclining white armchairs and a glass table. Sleeping on the floor wasn't preferable either since the floor was tiled. He didn't have any other option other than to share the same bed. It was a big bed, but the design was all wrong.

There were six pillows in total; four of them were the standard white ones, but the two smaller ones were red and designed in the shape of a love heart. There was even a matching red strip across the stretching across the middle of the bed and underneath it were two overlapping hearts made of hearts. That wasn't the worst – the bed had its own curtain to make sharing the bed feel more intimate.

There was no way he was getting on that. He'd rather sleep outside and catch a cold.

"What did you need to talk to me about that was so important it needed to be done in complete privacy?" Johanna said, looking up at him. She lay back down and made herself comfortable, stretching her slender body across the bed.

He sat down on one of the armchairs. "Dawn."

Johanna immediately bolted upright. "How did… What did you tell her?"

"She doesn't know if that's what you're worried about."

"You didn't hurt her."

"No," he said firmly.

"I know your… slaves are running around the region creating trouble. Professor Rowan told me about the incident he had with some of your men," she said sharply. "If I find out that they laid one hand on my baby I will…" She stopped short. Obviously, she hadn't thought the rest of her sentence through.

"I have no intentions of bringing harm to her. You have my word, Johanna." After all, why would he want to bring harm to someone who had his blood running through their veins? Dawn was partially his creation.

She didn't seem convinced. "You can't always be there to keep your slaves in line." She swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I will have no part in your schemes, but please, I beg of you, do not involve our daughter in your affairs." She paused for a few moments letting the impact of her words sink in before speaking again. "Do you know how desperate she is to find you? I pray the day never comes when learns of your true identity. It will devastate her."

He stood up from the armchair and slowly wandered over to Johanna. "I can't make any promises." He turned around and made his way over to the kitchen area when he felt her presence directly behind him. Holding back a sigh, he turned back around and added, "You must understand that I-" Johanna pulled her hand back then drew it forward, slapping him in the face. He growled, grabbed both her wrists and flung her down onto the bed.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She thrashed in place, trying her hardest to pry herself free, but she couldn't throw his weight off her. "You promised!" she spat.

He climbed on top of her, using his entire weight to keep her pinned down. "You never let me finish. I can only do so much to protect her but my… slaves as you call them… will not be so kind." He reached down to her face and wiped away her tears. She sniffed. "I'm asking you to trust me, Johanna. Can you do that?"

"I…"

"You'll be safe. Dawn will be safe. There will be no need to cry, no reason for sorrow. We'll live in a better place. I just need you to trust me like you did all those long years ago." He studied her face, noting there was a mixture of fear and desire in her eyes. She was scared of him, but at the time, she didn't want him to leave. He could make her submit to him.

She trembled. "What are you…" Her sentence was cut off abruptly as he leaned down to kiss her neck, eliciting a pleasurable moan from her. "Oh…" He relaxed his grip on her arms and she lifted them up, wrapping them around his back, pulling him down as close as possible. She lifted her head and brushed her lips against his. At that very moment, he felt an overriding passion for her run through his veins.

The ugly feeling of desire, lust and power were far too strong to ignore. He hated himself for being so imperfect, a slave to feeling, but he had to see this through to the end. His resolve weakened. Lowering his head to her neck again, he kissed the exposed skin, a moan escaping her throat. She felt his fingers trail down her sides, over her hips then upwards again, his fingers making their way behind her back to find the zipper.

She brought a hand to his hair, running her fingers through it, while she brought her other hand around to her zipper to help him undo it. He pushed her down onto the bed and proceeded to remove his clothing, while she did her best to undo hers. Looking down at her, he propped himself up and studied her physique for a couple of moments, then grasped her legs to pull her up. He entered inside her and began to thrust with slow deep strokes. He settled himself into a rhythm, then increased his movements, his breaths becoming faster and shallower. Johanna clawed at his back, as he continued thrusting into her, a deep groan soon leaving his throat, as he released inside her.

Giving himself into these ugly feelings, these emotions of desire and lust, would no longer be a concern in the near future. She moaned again, calling his name, as she reached her peak. The woman beneath him still loved him, despite everything, even though she pretended she didn't care. Love. Another meaningless emotion. It only led to pain and more grief. He collapsed on top of her, exhausted. He lay there for a few moments, then pulled himself out, and went to go and redress. Johanna remained stretched out on the bed. He looked at her again.

There'd soon be a day when none of this matter anymore, a day when all emotions ceased to exist.


	10. Tensions

I know this story has been uploaded several times before in the past, but if you are reading this and enjoying it, let me know

 **.**

 **Chapter Nine: Tensions**

She skipped out of the gym, happy to get away from the smell of flowers. Flowers were pretty to look at, but being around them too long affected her in a bad way. It made her nose run and her throat itch and neither of those things was pleasant to experience. She immediately made her way to the gym to rest up her Pokemon when she was approached by a pretty slender red haired lady with brilliant jade green eyes.

"You defeated the gym leader, Gardenia, didn't you?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes."

The woman sighed with relief. "Thank goodness! Arceus has answered my prayers!" She motioned for Dawn to come closer then pointed to the building in north western corner. "My husband is in there! Some people in spacemen clothing knocked him unconscious and dragged him to the building! You must save him, please!"

What was it with these Galactic people abducting people anyway? It was almost like they were aliens from out of space. She nodded again, flicking a strand of hair away from her eyes. It wasn't like she was new to this – she had faced the Galactic grunts on quite a few occasions now. "I will rescue your husband."

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

Dawn walked away from the sobbing lady and headed to the Pokemon Centre. She wasn't going to make it much further without resting them up after all. Once they were healed, she exited the building and made her way over to the building. It was a rather imposing figure of four storeys tall, dwarfing all the other buildings in the city. It even had its own helipad deck on top. Whoever had this place built obviously had a lot of money in possession to have such an impressive structure built.

She took a few more steps towards the building and noticed there were a couple of prickly bushes surrounding the building. Someone had obviously gone to great lengths to ensure it was hard to enter… and exit as well unless they had a means of flying. The bushes were quite tall as well, reaching up to her shoulders. The Galactic grunts must've had a difficult time getting inside but she suspected their uniforms made it far more bearable.

She wished she had an extra pair of miner's clothing attire right now. "Here goes nothing," she said, slowly reaching her hand forward, to part the bushes. Thorns brushed up against her skin causing her to jerk her arm back. She yelped, and glanced down to examine the damage. The damage was minimal fortunately, but her arm was bleeding now. Dawn cursed. Just her luck.

Opening her bag, she reached a hand down, searching for a couple of first aid equipment. Her hand brushed up against some bandages. She grabbed the large roll, laid her bag on the floor and did her best to wrap it around her arm to cover the wounds to prevent any infection. Once her arm was bandaged up, she picked up her bag again and stared at the prickly bush. How was she supposed to get past these plants? She didn't have a Pokemon that could burn them down… She needed a gardening snipping tool, something to cut down the bushes….

Wait.

Her Turtwig was a plant eating Pokemon. He could eat his way through! Or knock them down at least with an attack. Either option would work. She summoned her Turtwig. Turtwig was happy to be outside of his ball since it had been quite a few days since she last let him out. He peered up at her, his head tilted to the right. "We have to enter this building to save a shop keeper, but these plants are in the way." Turtwig turned to look at the plants. He moved forward and opened his mouth, placing it around the stem of a plant. He started chewing through the stem. Surprisingly, the thorns did not bother her Pokemon at all.

Turtwig continued to munch through the stems until all the plants fell down. He seemed satisfied, but moved a little slower than usual thanks to devouring so much vegetation in such a short time. He waddled after Dawn.

.

One of the grunts stuck his head out of the window. "Jupiter! Look! There's that girl we've been hearing about!" he exclaimed, jumping up. This action caused him to whack his head against the top of the window frame. "Ow!" he yelped. He rubbed his head and stook a few steps back, while the other grunts laughed at him.

Jupiter brought a hand to her forehead and sighed. Not only had the boss commanded her to stay at the Eterna building, but he had given her the dumbest of the dumbest grunts in the organisation. No wonder he was so eager to let her do what she wished. The boss certainly had a strange way of expressing humour. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered serving him. It was clear to her that Cyrus didn't favour her highly in comparison to the other three.

"Move!" she snapped. She stormed over to the windowsill, shoving the grunt out of her way, and stuck her head outside. A pretty dark blue haired girl was standing at the front of the door with a slower than normal Turtwig following behind her. Even from this height, Jupiter could see leaves hanging out from the sides of the Turtwig's mouth. _Smart trainer,_ she thought.

She moved away from the window and pulled out her Xtransceiver and dialled the boss' number. "Hello, boss!"

There was a three second delay. "Commander Jupiter, what is it?" the boss replied, sounding a little tired. Commander Jupiter felt bad for calling him now – he was tired and when he was, he was moodier than usual. Moments like these usually resulted in Jupiter having her pay cut for no other reason than 'harassing the boss'.

"There's a trainer here. A blue-headed girl. What do you want me to do with her? We can't let her run around the base, she's just a child and she'll ruin everything! Shall I order the grunts to abuse her?" She tried to contain her excitement, but she wanted that little witch to pay for interfering with their plans at the Valley Windworks.

Again, there was a delay. Jupiter thought she heard the sounds of someone else with Cyrus. A woman? Her hands tightened on her Xtransceiver. Cyrus couldn't be possibly thinking of replacing her with someone else, right?

"Let her do as she pleases, Jupiter."

"Wh-what?" Jupiter blurted.

Cyrus sighed. "What harm can a child possibly do? You will not allow your grunts to attack her. Is that understood, commander?"

"What am I supposed to do then? Just wait for her to make her way to the top and find the bike owner?"

"Bike owner?"

"Yes, the bike owner. He wouldn't give me a bike so I ordered my grunts to kidnap him."

"You will not carry out kidnapping missions without my consent," he snarled into the phone, causing Jupiter to flinch. "Who do you think the authorities are going to blame if people continue to go missing?"

"I wasn't going to keep him here for long!"

"This is your last warning, Jupiter. Do not fail me again." He hung up on his end. Jupiter threw her Xtransceiver across the room, almost tearing out her hair in the process. She had sworn an oath to serve him, but he was so incredibly frustrating to work for that sometimes she wondered if it was even worth it. Why did Mars and Saturn get the important missions? She pouted.

"What did the boss say?" a grunt said.

She growled. "He doesn't want you giving the girl a hard time for whatever reason, but that doesn't mean _I'm_ going to step down." She started to feel a pang of sympathy for the girl. She didn't know what she was getting herself into when she reached the final floor.

.

Unlike last time, there was no one standing guard at the door. She pushed the door open and stepped inside. Cold hands grabbed her shoulder. Dawn jumped. She turned around, preparing to slap whoever her attacker was, but only found the grinning face of Looker beaming down at her.

"Hello! It is me! Me! Ha ha ha!" he chuckled, eyes shining with amusement. "I have startled you, yes? I am, after all, an officer of the International Police. It is only natural that I be a master of disguise…"

Dawn recovered, although her heart was still racing. "That wasn't funny, Looker. I thought you might've been a grunt."

"It is habit… Incidentally, you are a first-rate trainer. Of that, I am very aware. I therefore think you will be okay, but I must warn you to be careful anyway," Looker said, amusement gone from his eyes. He wore a solemn expression now, his dark eyes studying Dawn's face closely. "A word of advice. This building, it has two stairs. One of them, a trap it must be. But the crooks of Team Galactic, they do not appear, how shall I say, smart. There should be an easy way to tell the stairs apart!"

"Thanks for the advice," Dawn said.

He smiled. "You and I will meet again, yes?"

Even though she had met the guy twice already, she still had trouble wrapping her head around this strange way of speaking. Looker exited the room allowing Dawn to venture further into the building. The bottom floor was empty. She saw two archways leading to two separate doors. Looker had warned her that one could be a trap, but the grunts were dumb enough to leave clues behind.

As she moved closer, she noticed one archway had a sign next to it. The sign read, 'THIS IS THE RIGHT DOOR. PROCEED'. She silently thanked whoever wrote the sign and made her way up the staircase. She reached the second floor and proceeded to make her way up to the third and fourth floors. The fourth floor was much more interesting to be on because the walls were not plain, but covered in starry wallpaper. She didn't have much time to admire the interior decorating because she was standing in a room of Galactic grunts. They circled around her, eyeing her as if she were something to eat.

A lady stepped forward. She was dressed differently than the others – she wore the same skin tight-fitting clothing the grunts had, but one of her pant legs didn't cover her leg completely. Dawn suspected it was supposed to be a sign she was of some importance, like Mars was.

"So, you're the little brat that gave Mars some trouble at the Valley Windworks," the purple haired lady said, circling around Dawn, studying her like a hawk. "The boss says the grunts can't lay a finger on you, but I don't always listen to him. I'm here, you're here and he's not." She gave her a mocking smirk. "I, Jupiter, will challenge you to a battle!"

"I'm here for bike owner. Where is he?"

"In the wardrobe downstairs," she replied lazily. "I'll let him go if you beat me, how does that sound?"

Dawn ordered her Turtwig to take the battle since her friend hadn't battled in awhile. "Go, Turtwig!" Turtwig stepped in front of his master and glared at Jupiter.

"Aw, cute, a little baby tortoise!" she cooed. "But what happened to its leaf? Nevermind, that'll just make this battle much easier for me to win. Go, Zubat!" Zubat hovered in the air, a few feet in front of Jupiter. "Use Wing Attack!" The bat swooped, striking Turtwig with its wings. Fortunately, the Zubat wasn't physically that powerful and the move didn't do as much damage as it could've.

"Turtwig, use Bite!" Dawn ordered, wanting to test out her Pokemon's new move potion she had recently purchased. Her Turtwig didn't move though, he just sat there in one place, his body turning a shade of dark green. "Turtwig?" Turtwig still didn't move. Dawn bit her lower lip. Had her Turtwig come down with some sort of a virus?

"Hah," Jupiter crowed. "Your Pokemon is sick from eating those leaves outside the front door! This battle is over before it's even begun! Zubat, use Wing Attack again!" Zubat swooped again, hitting Turtwig in the face with its wings.

Dawn lowered her hand to her pokebelt to call her friend back, but a part of her felt her Pokemon could win this battle even if he was at a serious type-disadvantage. "Come on, Turtwig…" she murmured.

Turtwig began to convulse suddenly, expelling the digested leaves out of his system. The leaves spilled out onto the floor, causing some of the grunts to jump back. He began to glow, his trembles increasing with intensity, as he rocked back and forth. She didn't know how to react. No one had told her what to do should a Pokemon come down with a virus during a battle. She lowered her hand, unsure of what else to do other than watch. Turtwig didn't look to be in pain. The shaking lessened. A bright light enveloped his body, blinding all those within its presence. Dawn shielded her eyes until the light dimmed, and spotted a much larger tortoise with two bushes on its back standing in Turtwig's place. She immediately drew out her Pokedex.

 _Grotle. The evolved form of Turtwig. It knows where pure water wells up. It carries fellow Pokemon there on its back._

She put it away. Somehow, the leaves her Turtwig had consumed had helped it to evolve.

"Hmph, so you got your Pokemon to evolve. It doesn't matter though you're still going to lose. Zubat, use Bite!"

Zubat hovered above the Grotle then lowered itself down slowly until it was above the tortoise's head. The bat brought down its mouth and clamped its teeth on his back, but Grotle's shell rendered its attack as useless. "Grotle, use Bite!" While Zubat was still close to ground level, Grotle had the chance to attack. He lifted himself up onto his hind legs with surprising strength and bit down on one of the bat's wings.

"How insolent!"

Grotle refused to release his grip on the Zubat's wings. Zubat tried to fly away, but Grotle was far too strong. The bat kept flapping until it ran out of energy and flopped down to the ground, its wings twitching slightly. "Well done, Grotle!" Dawn cheered. Grotle made a grunting noise indicating joy.

Jupiter recalled her Pokemon then sent out her second one. "Skuntank!"

Images of Skunky materialized in her head as Dawn studied the giant skunk. This was obviously the evolved form of Skunky, although it was twice as large, had a thick furry tail and a face shaped like that of a cat. Even so, she pulled out her Pokedex for the sake of obtaining information for the professor's research.

 _Skuntank. The evolved form of Skunky. It attacks by spraying a horribly smelly fluid from the tip of its tail. Attacks from above confound it._

In the corner of her eye, Dawn noticed the grunts had pulled out masks to shield their nose and mouths from breathing in the repugnant stench. Even Jupiter, the Pokemon's owner, pulled out her own mask. Dawn wished she had one of those but she hadn't seen any in the shops she had passed through. This battle could turn nasty within seconds. She could only hope that her newly evolved Grotle had a poor sense of smell.

"Skuntank, use Poison Gas!"

Skuntank turned around, and raised its tail, the tip curled down. It wagged its posterior end from left to right, expelling a foul purple cloud of gas. Dawn brought two hands to her mouth and lurched forward, trying to fight back the nausea that gripped her mind. The gas from a Skunky had been bad enough, but this was so much worse. It reeked like a decomposing corpse combined with the smell of rotten eggs.

"Oh my…" Dawn gasped, pinching her nose as tightly as possible until her began to hurt. Her eyes began to water and her stomach continued doing somersaults. Her head began to spin. It was just so nasty… How could anyone withstand a battle against one of those Pokemon? Her knees buckled and gave way. She fell to the floor and hunched over, balling her fingers into fists.

She heard a couple of thuds and turned around to find a few grunts lying on the floor. Even their masks weren't good enough to lessen the stench of the odour emitted from a Skuntank. Some grunts ran out of the room with tears in their eyes, while a couple of others rushed over to the closest window to expel the contents of their stomaches.

It would've been a rather comical sight to those outside, but it wasn't amusing for those involved. She lurched forward and vomited up her breakfast. She vomited again a few moments later, but it did little to ease her nauseousness. In fact, it only made her feel worse. She wiped her mouth using the back palm of her head, wincing at the sight of vomit leftover. "Grotle… use Bite…" she whimpered.

Grotle didn't appear to have a good sense of smell since the Pokemon seemed unaffected by the stench. He charged forward and bit the Skuntank on the nose. Skuntank hissed. "Skuntank, use Night Slash!" A purple glow encased the Skuntank's body. Skuntank lashed out a claw, hitting Grotle in the face leaving a scratch mark.

"Hang… in there… Grotle… Use Razor Leaf!" Now that her Pokemon had leaves on its back, he could use that attack. Grotle shook his body, making the bushes on his back shake. He lunged forward, hurling a couple of leaves at his opponent. The leaves struck the Skuntank in the face, leaving multiple scratches.

"Skuntank, use Night Slash!" Skuntank lunged forward and swatted Grotle in the face once more. Grotle stumbled back, but recovered quickly and rammed his head into the Skuntank's side. She heard Jupiter hiss. "You're not bad for a brat, but I'm not giving up this easily. I will-what is it?"

One of the grunts who hadn't fainted grabbed her arm and tugged on it. "The gym leader and her students are coming! Someone must've alerted them to our presence!"

"Dammit!" Jupiter cursed. "Today is your lucky day, but next time I will defeat you, you can count on it. Open the wardrobe downstairs and release the bike shop owner! All of you worthless grunts pack up and go before the boss returns!" She turned to Dawn. "Next time, do yourself a favour and purchase a gas mask if you hope to stand a chance against me. Oh, and before you go, let me tell you something important. Our boss is researching the myths of ancient Pokemon. With the power of mythical Pokemon, he will become the ruler of Sinnoh… I suggest you keep out of Team Galactic's affairs from now on. This is your last warning!"

Jupiter recalled her Skuntank and the smell began to fade away. Dawn climbed to her feet and stumbled out of the room. Using the walls as support, she made her way down to the bottom floor where a man in his mid-thirties stood before her looking a little flabbergasted. "Thank you for saving me! Stop by my shop later and I'll give you my prized bike!"

Dawn weakly nodded, still recovering from being gassed. She stumbled out of the building, and heaved a sigh of relief as soon as she stepped outside. She really needed a good hot shower after this debacle. Some new clothes wouldn't hurt either. Fortunately, the local Pokemon Centre had both available for a minimal fee. She made her over to the building, her loyal Pokemon following behind her. What an eventful day.

.

Johanna sat down in the cafeteria section of the hall, helping herself to some raisin toast and juice, while Marina ran through the schedule. Marina had been up all night working on the finer details alongside Johanna trying to come up with a timetable that catered for the general interests of the public. The event was scheduled to last three days and the task was to ensure each day was even in terms of exciting events.

"So, do you think the catwalk should happen on the second day or on the final day?" Marina said, crossing her right leg over her left, as she dangled her pen between her fingers.

Johanna nodded. "It should happen on the second day. In past years, attendance numbers have always been the highest on the second day. The catwalk is our most popular event as well according to previous surveys so it would make sense to hold it then."

Marina brought her pen down to her notebook and scribbled down a few notes. "I trust you, Johanna. You've been coordinating fashion events for a few years now so I have no reason not to take your word for it." She glanced up from the notebook and looked at Johanna. "That's why you're going to host catwalk!"

"But you're the main star!"

Chuckling, Marina wrapped a finger around her hair. "True, but like I said, you're the experienced one here and Sinnoh is your home region. You know how things work here in this region – that's why I think you should run the catwalk. Besides, I'll be busy doing photographs and signing autographs for my fans at that time. I can't be in two places at once."

"That sounds fine by me," Johanna replied, setting her food down on the table before her. She stood up from her chair and readjusted her collar again – a week had passed since she last met with Cyrus, but the mark was still visible on her neck. The last thing she wanted was for people to ask questions about it. That was a conversation she wanted to avoid. "I'll be right back, all right? I'm just heading to the bathroom."

Marina nodded, glancing back down at the notepad. She started flipping through the pages while Johanna hurried towards the nearest bathroom. Fortunately, the bathroom was empty – she found it unsettling going to the bathroom when there were other people in there. Listening to other people doing their business wasn't exactly the most pleasant sound to hear.

A few moments later, she finished her business and wiped herself then glanced down. Her eyes widened. "No…" she said slowly, examining the pinkish tinge of discharge on the tissue. She rubbed her eyes and looked back down again. The light-coloured pinkish discharge was still there. "This can't be possible…"

She fixed herself up, chucked the tissue down the toilet and flushed, then ran out, slamming the door behind her. Rushing over to the nearest sink, she turned it on and splashed her face with water, as she tried to steady her racing heart beat. A door slammed shut. She jumped, and jerked her head towards the bathroom entrance as an elderly lady entered. Professor Carolina. This was the last place she expected Cynthia's grandmother to be in.

"Johanna?"

Johanna mustered up a smile. "Hello, Carolina."

"I had a feeling you would be here so I came down yesterday to check up on you." She moved closer, her eyes never leaving Johanna's face. A few droplets of water dripped off her chin and onto her collar. Johanna quickly grabbed a few paper towels and dried her face with it, carefully avoiding touching her collar. "Are you all right? You look like you have seen a ghost."

"No, just excited about today, that's all," Johanna assured, bringing a hand to her ear, and pulling it gently. She hoped her old friend couldn't see past the mask was wearing. "I'm hosting the catwalk event instead of Marina," she added, smiling again. Just act perfectly normal, she told herself.

Carolina moved closer. "No, there is something wrong. You have a habit of pulling on your ears when there is something wrong. I've known you for a number of decades, Johanna. I know when there is something wrong."

For a brief moment, Johanna considered telling the Champion's grandmother a lie. Yes, there was something wrong, but it wasn't like she had to tell Carolina the truth. "Like I said, I'm just excited about today. A little bit nervous, you know," she started, trying to think of a lie, but nothing came to mind. Carolina raised an eyebrow as she pressed her lips into a thin line. This was the typical expression she used when she was waiting for an explanation.

"You've been running fashion events for a couple of years, Johanna. Do you expect me to believe that you are getting cold feet?" She moved a few steps closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me what's troubling you."

The words were there in her mind, but she had trouble trying to say them out a loud. How was she supposed to tell Carolina that she had spent a night with the same man who abandoned her twelve years ago? "I…" she started, bringing her hand to her collar to fiddle with it. "It's a long story."

"What have you done, Johanna?"

She couldn't like to Carolina. She couldn't lie to the lady who helped her after Cyrus had abandoned her. "I… met him."

Carolina's gaze hardened. "Cyrus?"

Johanna cleared her throat. "It wasn't by choice!" she blurted.

"And you let him in your home?" Carolina replied, anger slowing rising in her tone. Johanna felt her grip tighten on her shoulder which was surprisingly strong considering the age of the professor. "He has no right to come anywhere near you, Johanna!" she snapped, withdrawing her arm.

"Nothing happened, okay? We just talked, that's all and then he left." She turned around and looked in the mirror, brushing a few bangs of hair away from her face. "I ran into him again about a week ago. He knows about Dawn."

"Johanna…"

Johanna spun around from the mirror throwing a glare in Carolina's direction. "Dawn is perfectly safe! He made a promise to me he would not hurt and I believe him," she said heatedly, bringing a hand to her neck to readjust the collar again.

Carolina's eyes narrowed. "I have never thought of you as foolish, Johanna, but you are a fool to trust in someone like him."

"I _need_ him."

"You survived without him before – what makes you believe you need him now?"

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, willing herself not to let any information slip. If Carolina learnt the truth, she wasn't going to let her go anywhere unsupervised. "Things are different now, Carolina." She moved away from the sink and headed towards the exit when Carolina grabbed her arm.

"He was here, wasn't he?" Carolina demanded her eyes boring into Johanna's. "Sharing _your_ bed I presume?"

Johanna pried Carolina's fingers off and jerked her arm away. "That's none of your business," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, feeling her cheeks burn.

"How long ago?"

Now that she had brought it up, Carolina wasn't going to leave until she was satisfied. Johanna moved to the closest wall and leaned against it, eyes fixed on the ground. "It's been a week. I ran into him and he wanted to speak to me about something important in private. I tried to get away, but I couldn't." She lifted a hand and brought it to her hair, running a hand through her blue locks, trying to keep her emotions in control. "I can't keep running away, Carolina."

"You still love him. After _everything_ he's put you through, you still-"

Johanna lifted her gaze up from the ground meeting Carolina's piercing stare. "I have to believe he can still be saved."

"Saved?"

"You don't know him as well as I do."

The elderly woman sighed. "I'm only trying to help you. I don't want to see you hurt again."

"No one is ever beyond redemption, if they choose to walk that path," Johanna said softly. "Do those words sound familiar? They were the ones you told me many years ago."

Carolina sighed. "He did more than just share your bed, didn't he?" Her gaze lingered on Johanna's neck. "You slept with him."

Johanna averted her gaze. The professor rubbed her temples and turned around and said something Johanna's ears couldn't make out. "I couldn't… hold him off, but there's nothing to worry about! The chances of falling pregnant are slim!" she protested. A brief image of the pinkish discharge on the tissue appeared in her head. Could it be possible?

"I'm assuming you took preventive methods?"

Johanna shook her head. "I didn't plan for this."

There was a brief pause. "When are you due?" Carolina said, turning around, finger rubbing her chin.

"In another week."

The professor paced back and forth muttering something to herself then came to an abrupt stop. She looked at Johanna. "I'm taking you to my home where I can keep a close eye on you. You shouldn't be alone." Before Johanna could protest, Carolina grabbed her arm and led her out of the bathroom.

.

Dawn's mood lifted now that she had a hot shower and some nice new clothes to wear. The clothes she had selected were similar to her former attire, only they were black. She collected her pokebelt and pokeballs from the nurse and exited, making her way towards the bike shop. It was easy to find since there was a bike model next to the front door.

"Hey there, heroine! You did me a great deal back there rescuing me from those grunts! As a reward, I'm going to give you my prized bike for free!" He pointed to a yellow bicycle in the far corner. "You can travel much faster now and you'll get fitter quicker too! Isn't that great?" The man didn't seem to care much about her well-being – he was more concerned about giving her a bike. She felt like turning down his offer, but having a bike did have its appeal.

"Thanks, I'll take it."

"Excellent! If you have any problems with it, just return it and I'll fix it free of charge, just for you!" He removed the bike from the rack and gave it to her.

Dawn placed her hands on the handles and walked the bike out of the shop. She had never ridden a bike so she was a little hesitant about getting on it. Bikes weren't needed in her hometown of Twinleaf. She held the bike firmly in place and slowly climbed on to the seat. The bike wobbled, but somehow she managed to stay on top.

Slipping her feet onto the pedals, she started to rotate her legs so the bike would move forward. Already, she could feel her legs starting to burn from the strenuous activity. Perhaps walking was a better idea after all, she thought. If she continued this, she'd faint from exhaustion by the time she reached the next city.

"Where to go next?" she said aloud, bringing up an image of the map in her head. It was a fairly simple map to memorize since there was usually just one main path to get to the next city. Her next destination was Hearthome and apparently there was a big festival happening. But to reach the place she had to go through the Cycling Road and Mount Coronet.

The Cycling Road was rumoured to be a nasty place filled with overconfident athletes who thought they were better than everyone else because they were in peak physical condition. She wished there was a way to avoid them but sadly it was the only path forward. If she didn't cause any trouble with them then she'd have nothing to worry about… hopefully.

Cautiously, she cycled towards a golden bridge. This was the infamous Cycling Road. She cycled over to the lady at the front of the bridge. "Hello there, trainer. I see you have a bike. Move onto the bridge and cycle away!" She beamed Dawn a big smile. _That had to be a terrible job,_ thought Dawn, as she moved onto the bridge. Her bike didn't even touch the bridge when two female cyclists nearby called out a few comments.

The first cyclist, a lean woman with platinum blonde locks and a busty upper chest, spoke out first. "Where'd you get that flashy bike, kid? Did your rich dad buy it for you?"

The other female sniggered, twirling a lock of black hair around a slender finger. "I hope you know how to ride it. It would be _such a shame_ for a fine model to end up damaged, wouldn't it, Alexia?"

"That's right, Cassadee."

Dawn didn't like these two women. They were giving her looks that made her feel uneasy. _Don't pay them any attention, Dawn,_ she told herself. Just look away and keep moving forward. She focused her attention on the road ahead and started cycling, doing her best to ignore the comments from the two nasty cyclists. Unfortunately, they decided to follow her.

"She has such beautiful hair… I wonder if it's natural or if she dyed it to make her look unique," the female said. Alexia grabbed her hair and yanked it roughly that Dawn fell off her bike. Her face hit the ground first, her lips rubbing against the wooden planks. Pain erupted from her lower lip. The two girls laughed. Dawn glared up at them as she ran her tongue over her lips, feeling the taste of blood on the tip. A busted lip. Just what she needed.

"Aw, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your pretty face," Cassadee taunted.

Alexia hopped off her bike and picked up Dawn's one. "Oh look what you've done you stupid girl. You've gone and damaged your bike!" She pointed to some of the scratch marks on the bike. "I don't think you're responsible enough to have one."

"But that's my bike!" Dawn protested, feeling her lower lip beginning to swell.

"It's mine now," Alexia said, her eyes narrowed.

Dawn's eyes started to well up with tears from a combination of the pain in her lip and being humiliated like this. She didn't understand why they were being so mean to her for no apparent reason. Did they pick on all passing cyclists? Or was she getting some special treatment? Cassadee bent over and grabbed her hair and gave it a rough jerk. She pulled out a couple of berries, crushed them in her hands and rubbed the sticky juices in Dawn's hair until all the juices were removed.

"Ooh, that looks so much better now!" Alexia jeered.

Cassadee pulled her hands away. "Have a good day, princess!" She waved goodbye, and the two girls walked away with their new bike. Dawn picked herself up from the floorboards and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. She knew it was pointless getting so worked up about being insulted, but those girls were so mean. Even the Galactic grunts were above hair pulling.

Now she didn't have a bike. It was back to walking for her. She preferred that though to cycling, but this wasn't the best place to be getting around on legs. There was a good chance there were more nasty cyclists around. She started to sprint down the road bypassing more cyclists who just laughed at busted lip and lack of bike. Eventually, she reached the opposite end.

She wiped more tears away and walked down the dusty road towards the base of Mount Coronet. The mountain was so high that she couldn't even see its peak because it was hidden in the clouds. Mount Coronet looked intimidating, but she had survived the horrors of the Cycling Road that Mount Coronet surely couldn't be much worse. Tears still streaming down her face, Dawn hurried over to the mountain's entrance, eager to get as far away from the Cycling Road as possible.

She stepped inside the mountain. It was damp inside, but surprisingly well lit. She guessed since trainers had to pass through this mountain to reach the next city that the local council had installed a lighting system on the bottom floor. There were two large pools of water on both sides of the pathway leading to the exit. She noticed there were ladders leading to the next level, but she didn't want to stay here longer than what was needed. One day she'd return when she was stronger.

She continued to make her way through the cave when she spotted Cyrus entering from the opposite side. She stared, and noted how his appearance differed since their last meeting a day ago. The collar of his jacket was uneven and his hair stuck out in random angles, looking like he had just rolled out of bed. She also noticed what looked suspiciously like red lipstick around the base of his neck. Did he even notice? He seemed to be in a hurry. Seeing his dishevelled appearance made her chuckle and she temporarily forgot about the reason behind her tears.

"…weak and incomplete… strife has appeared… the world is being ruined by it…" she heard him mutter. He stopped talking to himself when he noticed she was there. "Dawn."

Dawn remained silent. What was he mumbling about? What was the world being ruined by? Weak people like the Galactic grunts? Or was he referring to something else? Curiosity got the better of her and she asked, even though she was aware she had no business in knowing. "I'm sorry," she started, wincing at the pain in her lip.

He frowned. "What happened to your lip?"

"I fell over," she said sheepishly.

"You were not attacked by Galactic grunts?" he said, looking tense all of a sudden.

She shook her head. "No."

He seemed to relax. "You should be careful where you walk."

"I'll keep that in mind." She paused, thinking of how to ask Cyrus what he was muttering about. "What were talking about just before? I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I heard the words weak, incomplete and strife? Is it about Team Galactic?"

He stared at her then replied after a few beats of silence. "You're too young to understand, but one day you will see it." He looked at her mouth again. "You should get that cleaned up before it gets infected."

"You should tidy yourself up before you cross the Cycling Road," Dawn replied good-naturedly, pointing to his neck. "You can't walk around the streets with that on you. People will ask questions." His right hand moved to the base of his neck where Dawn had pointed. He rubbed it for a bit then pulled it back, glancing down at the red mark. He muttered. "If my mother was here to see this, she'd be on you within seconds cleaning you up. She's a fashion coordinator so she takes appearance very seriously," she explained.

"…Indeed."

Dawn frowned. That was a strange response. He walked past her. "Wait, where are you going?" She was curious to know more. He had to be important since he kept showing up everywhere she was.

"I have business to attend to elsewhere."

He didn't say anything and continued walking to the entrance she had come through. Dawn would've gone after him if she didn't have her own business to worry about such as obtaining more gym badges. Oh well, she was sure to meet up with him again sometime in the near future. She stepped through the exit and left.

.

The building was a mess. It was as if someone had decided to host a gagging competition. There were patches of vomit everywhere he looked. On the walls, on the floors, on the furniture… It was obvious what had happened here. The grunts had screwed up again and their supervisor, Commander Jupiter, was to blame for this disaster.

The grunts had long since scattered but Jupiter was still here, doing her best to clean up the evidence off a failed task. "Jupiter," he said.

Jupiter stopped cleaning the floor. She rose to her feet, slowly turned around and tilted her chin downwards to avoid his gaze. "Boss."

"I leave you to carry out a simple task and I come back and this place is a mess." The incompetence Jupiter was showing was starting to become beyond a joke now. She was the eldest of the original trio so he had expected her to handle her responsibilities better, but she couldn't even do that. "Look at me while I'm addressing you." She tilted her chin upwards. "Explain yourself."

She snorted. "I was carrying out my duties like you had asked me to when that little brat came in here to mess up our plans. I challenged her to a battle with my Skuntank – that's why this place looks the way it does. You left me with the dumbest grunts in the entire organisation!" she accused, pointing a finger at him. "You should be blaming yourself for hiring such idiots!"

He knew there was a reason he didn't give Jupiter important tasks – she was petty, and that ugly emotion was starting to show again. Jupiter was the weakest of his commanders, although she thought herself as the strongest mentally. Nevertheless, he still needed her, but she needed to be put in her place. "When I promoted you to the position of commander, you swore an oath that you would never turn your back on me. That includes arguing with my orders."

She drew in a shaky breath. "I swore an oath because I thought I'd be treated better!" she blurted out. "You always give me the worst jobs! You assign the dumbest grunts for me to command! You don't tell us anything! Why is that girl so important? We're doing your dirty work and we're getting nothing out of it!" she screeched. Her body was actually trembling from rage.

"You have a job, you receive pay and you have a place to call home. That is more than what you had before you joined Galactic," Cyrus replied curtly. "I gave you a chance to start all over when I could've easily left you behind to suffer a far worse fate."

Jupiter had been the first of the commanders he had recruited. He found her near Pastoria City, trying to kill herself by drowning in the swamp. Her partner had left her and she had been fired from her job as a sales assistant the same day. The girl had thought death was better than coping with the pain of loss and rejection, but he convinced her he could erase that pain.

"Charon brought up the idea that you don't trust me," she said finally in controlled voice. Her anger had subsided – for now at least. "It's true, isn't it? That's why you prefer Mars and Saturn over me. Even Charon is important!"

"I do not prefer one over the other."

"That's a lie!" she spat. "Stop lying to me!" This was the angriest he had seen Jupiter. She was allowing herself to be consumed by emotions such as jealousy and anger and it was causing her to act in an unruly manner. The woman suddenly threw herself at him then drew her hand back to slap him. Fortunately, he grabbed hold of her wrist at the last moment and held her back. That didn't stop her though. She thrashed, she writhed, she even tried spitting at him, but her attempts to hurt him did nothing.

"Control yourself, Jupiter," he ordered.

She ceased her struggles, but he didn't release her just yet. "Why is she so important to you?" she said in between pants.

He knew of whom she spoke of. Dawn. He looked away, releasing his grip on her arms. "It's none of your concern." He turned his back, but she simply stood in front of him, eyes hungry for answers. He stared her down. "Why would a child be of importance to my plans?"

The corners of her mouth curved into a smirk. "She wouldn't be unless she was… yours," she said, pausing for dramatic effect. All the pieces had started to come together and the commander had just worked it out. "How long have you known about her?"

"About a week. What does it matter?"

Her smirk widened. "Where do _your_ loyalties truly lie, boss?"


	11. Darkness and Light, Part One

**Chapter Ten: Darkness and Light, part one**

Hostile spirits of the dead entered her line of sight, as Fantina led the way back to the rift opening. Normally, she'd catch a glimpse of at least three hostile spirits with each visit, but there was more than usual today. The strangest thing was they were huddling in groups of three, as if they were banding together, bracing themselves of an attack of some sort.

One of the Haunters spotted her and broke away from its group, floating towards her and Morty, its claws outstretched. "We've been spotted," Fantina hissed. "Keep your guard up." She focused her mind on the Haunter before her and nothing else. Allowing another thought to enter her mind while she was here was a dangerous thing to do.

The Haunter stopped in front of her, sunken eyes staring into her own. It stretched out its arm, trying to touch her, but its arm made no contact. As long as she thought of nothing else, the Haunter would not be able to touch her. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Morty had closed his eyes, as if he had chosen to meditate on the spot.

An icy wave raced throughout her body as the Haunter drove its arm through her stomach. It felt as if she had been dunked into a pool of ice-cold water with nothing to protect her skin from the biting cold. The Haunter drove another arm through her body, wrapping its long claws around her location of her heart. Fortunately, her mind was guarded otherwise she'd be in a great deal of trouble.

The hostile Pokemon held its place and she held hers, each one waiting for the other to break. Tortured screams rang out through the realm as the Haunter tried to tear her mind apart. The spirits were obviously ravenous – normally, they'd leave a walker alone if their mind was unbreakable, but this one was determined. The behaviour wasn't normal and suggested only one thing – there was a greater power here at work.

After what seemed like hours of waiting, the Haunter finally withdrew, returning to the shadows of the trees. Fantina exhaled, loosening her grip on Morty's right hand. "That was unsettling," he commented, readjusting his purple scarf around his neck. "The spirits of the deceased Pokemon do not normally behave like this."

"They're afraid of something."

"Afraid of what?"

Fantina shook her head, troubled. "The shadow beast."

"Impossible. You said it yourself earlier – the creature is trapped in its realm. It can't escape unless someone opens the gate to his cage and there is no one capable of achieving that task," Morty replied heatedly.

She thought hard, reflecting on recent events. There had been reports of thieves in spacesuits giving local trainers a difficult time. She hadn't caught a glimpse of trouble in Hearthome City, but thanks to the media, she knew their names. The thieves called themselves 'Team Galactic'. Were the thieves behind the imbalance she sensed? "The chains are weakening – the shadow beast… it's feasting on the hostile spirits here weakening them. That is why they are desperate to feast on us. It would explain why the Ghost-type Pokemon in the Lost Tower are unsettled."

"You believe someone has found a way to open the gate?"

Fantina nodded, giving her friend a fearful look. "Yes."

"The gate can't be opened by normal means. It would take a great amount of energy to open it – where could such energy be found?"

"The Lake Guardian trio," Fantina said slowly, recalling on the stories she read in the book ' _Sinnoh's Legendary Pokemon'_. "The legendary gem-holders of knowledge, emotion and willpower. When the three creatures come together as one, they will create the key, the Red Chain. The Red Chain has the power to summon the creators of time and space to unlock the gate to the shadow beast's home realm."

"Why would someone want to unlock the gate?"

Fantina thought hard. "The shadow beast was cast down into the pit because as punishment for betraying Arceus and was sealed behind a magical door… or at least that's what my mother told me when I was a young child. The stories say the creature has the power to create a new universe from nothing although there is no research to prove this can actually be achieved."

"That means…" Morty trailed.

"Someone else has done their research." She suspected someone within Team Galactic had done heavy research into the matter. With a name like Galactic, it would make sense they were interested in the workings of the universe. But why would they want to create a new one? And how had they obtained research on the shadow beast? Only ghost-type masters knew of its existence, but some refused to acknowledge it, claiming it was just a wild theory. This was why they had not shared such information with the rest of the world because they could not come to an agreement.

Morty looked troubled. He ran a hand through his blond hair and opened his mouth to speak further when a Gastly moved past them. The Pokemon appeared to running away from something because it ignored their presence. "We should follow it. See where it leads. We can learn more about this shadow beast."

"We do not have much time left."

"Just a quick glimpse? I admit, I wasn't keen on coming here, but you've piqued my curiosity and I'm interested in learning more."

Truth be told, Fantina wasn't keen on leaving just yet either. The gym could wait. This was far more important. She had heard much about the shadow beast when she was growing up, but had never seen pictures of it before since no images had been released since no Ghost-type trainer had ever laid eyes on it.

Only one person had seen the creature – a self-proclaimed genius called Pluto. She had never actually seen him before either since he didn't share photos of himself nor of the shadow beast, but she loved reading his research articles, particularly the one about Rotom. She hoped to one day cross paths so she could discuss ghost-types with him.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a rough jerk and found herself falling to the ground. A tree landed a few inches away from where she had originally been standing moments before. Trees falling down in the Spirit World were not common occurrences. "Please get off me…" a voice murmured.

Glancing down, she noticed she was sitting on top of Morty's stomach. She quickly rolled off and climbed to her feet then glanced around. What had caused the tree to fall? A hostile Pokemon spirit did not have the strength to do that. "Where did the Gastly disappear?"

Morty stood up, dusting the wilted leaves off his clothes with one free hand. "I don't know but whatever it was, it's powerful."

Fantina searched her surroundings, keeping her eyes focused in the direction in which the tree had fallen from. She couldn't see much because of the mist, but eventually her eyes adapted and spotted two glowing red eyes staring back. A cold chill raced down her spine. She wasn't a woman easily frightened, but looking into those deep red eyes, she felt the rare fleeting emotion of fear course through her veins, causing her to freeze in place.

The red-eyed creature let out a deafening ferocious roar, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand erect. It was enough to pull her out her trance. She tugged on Morty's arm. "We have to leave now." Morty didn't argue; he was speechless. The creature trudged through the mist towards them, each footstep causing the ground beneath their feet to shake.

"Run!" Morty said.

Fantina didn't need to be told twice. They hurried towards the rift opening, not daring to spare a glance over their shoulder. Fantina could hear the creature's footsteps closing in on them. Fear spurred her to run faster than she ever had before. The rift opening came within her line of vision. So close…

She tripped, face first into the ground, bringing Morty down with her. She dared herself to glance over her shoulder, and catch a glimpse of the red-eyed beast. Blood-coloured eyes stared right back at her, a mere inch away from her face. Hot breath reeking of decomposing flesh washed over, causing her stomach to churn. It opened its mouth revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth that looked to be at least nine inches long. A forked tongue came forth from the cavern of its enormous mouth, brushing up against her face, leaving a copious amount of saliva behind.

"Fantina!" Morty urged. "We have to go now before it's too late!"

She tore her gaze away from the beast, climbed to her feet and sprinted with Morty, towards the rift opening. The beast was still behind them but by now they had reached the safety of the rift. Together, they jumped through and landed on the ground of Hearthome's Contest Hall. "That was it. That was the shadow beast that roams the Spirit World," she said, lying on her back, eyes staring up at the ceiling.

Morty stood up. "You need to inform Cynthia immediately. If that gate opens all hell is going to break loose. We don't even know the full extent of the shadow beast's power or what its proper name is even. All we have to go by are some old unproven stories and one theory by some guy we have never seen a picture of before."

"I will speak to her as soon as possible."

He nodded. "I need to return home. Sinnoh's not the only region under threat." Fantina didn't even try to stop him as he left the building, removing the scarf around his neck. Her heart was still racing from the adventure within the Spirit World, but she had to pull herself together and act calm in front of the public. Returning to the gym would help calm her racing heart beat.

Out of all the cities she had visited so far, Hearthome was certainly the most desirable place to live in, and by far the most beautiful. Three beige coloured classical garden fountains designed to look like Clefairies spread across the southern part of the city, surrounded by a couple of neatly trimmed hedges giving it a rather relaxing atmosphere. There were park benches opposite to the fountains stationed black classical lamp posts. Even the buildings had a classical feel to them – important buildings had impressive engravings of Sinnoh's Pokemon above the main entrance columns.

It was also a rather busy place, but not in the same sense as Jubilife. Many of the locals in Jubilife were business people or researchers, while the vast population of Hearthome seemed to consist of mothers with young children. She spotted a couple of mothers with prams across from her, exchanging words as they walked down the street. There were children playing around the fountains partaking in a game of tag. This was truly a place for families.

The northern side of the city had the infamous Contest Hall and Amity Square. Contest Hall was the place to be for all lovers of fashion while those who wanted to bond with their Pokemon could spend time in the world famous botanical gardens of Amity Square. Only trainers with specific types of Pokemon could enter the place though according to news reporters. She suspected it was because it was such a child-friendly environment the owners didn't want scary Pokemon giving children nightmares.

She found it strange that the local gym was located close to Amity Square's entrance because the gym looked like it had featured in a horror movie set. Apparently it was once an abbey but it had been turned into a gym by the order of the gym leader, Fantina. There was no doubt it was a beautiful building even though it looked out of place in a jovial place like Hearthome.

The gym had two identical towers with a circular window in each. The lower part of the towers had two smaller glass-stained windows non-circular in their design. Engravings of various ghost-type Pokemon from around Sinnoh, Johto and Kanto decorated the sides closest to the entrance. A much larger glass-stained window joined the two towers together and below that was the entrance.

Hearthome's Gym put the other buildings to shame in terms of design. She was about to walk through the gym doors when she spotted a lady with dark blue hair exiting the Contest Hall, pushing through a sea of eager people. There was only one female in Sinnoh aside from herself with hair that colour. Her mother. "Mum!" she called, turning away from the gym's entrance to chase after her mother.

Fortunately, the distance between the gym and the Contest Hall was short and it didn't take her long to reach her. She called her name again and this time Johanna looked in her direction. A broad smile spread across her face. "Dawn!"

Dawn wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and gave her a tight hug then pulled back, noticing how tired her mother looked. She also noticed that her mother had taken to wearing a shirt with a high collar which was bizarre because her mother never wore collared shirts. Her mother seemed uncomfortable with her new look as well because she kept playing with the collar, readjusting it every couple of seconds as if she were trying to hide something.

"Did you get bitten by something?" Dawn pointed out, as Johanna rubbed the right side of her neck. Dawn caught a brief glimpse of what appeared to look like a bruise of some sort. What sort of Pokemon attacked the necks of people?

Her mother's brows lifted, surprised. "Oh, just a bug bite. Nothing serious."

"Well, I might have something in my bag that can make it less itchy," Dawn said, reaching down to her bag to search for a bug-bite cream for humans. "It looks pretty nasty, mum." And it looked painful, although her mother showed no signs of pain, only discomfort and… embarrassment?

Johanna placed her hands on her daughter's arm. "It's nothing to be worried about, I assure you, sweetie." She brought up the collar again to cover the mark. Her mother's eyes fixed on her lip and the woman frowned. "What happened to your lip?"

"Oh, I ran into some trouble earlier, but it's all right."

Her mother's frown remained. "Team Galactic?"

Dawn shook her head. "No. Just some girls at the Cycling Road. You know Team Galactic?"

"I heard about it on the news that some thieves called Galactic are causing trouble in some cities." Johanna placed a hand on her shoulder staring deeply into her eyes. "Have they caused you trouble?"

"The girls at the Cycling Road were more of an issue than the Galactic people," Dawn pointed out. At least the members of Galactic didn't harass people by giving trainers busted lips for fun. "I'm going to purchase some cream for my lip before I take on the gym."

"It seems like you've been doing this for years," Johanna said proudly, beaming her daughter a dazzling smile. "To have come this far already in such a short amount of time… I know you'll go the distance, Dawn. I am so proud of you."

Dawn smiled. "Thanks mum." She hugged her mother again then drew back. "What brings you to Hearthome City anyway?"

"There's a fashion show taking place and I'm coordinating some of the events, but don't let its presence distract you from obtaining your next gym badge." She glanced down at her watch and gasped. "Oh, that reminds me, I need to head to the store and purchase some supplies!" Johanna gave her daughter an apologetic look. "If you ever need to talk, just call me on the Xtransceiver! Good luck, sweetie!"

Her mother hurried away towards the nearest shop and Dawn just chuckled. The woman looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep last night. She was probably too busy stressing out about that weird mark on her neck and coordinating some of the events. She glanced down at her pokebelt. "Are you ready for the next battle?" The balls shook, showing their eagerness. Dawn chuckled. "Of course you are. Let's give it our best."

Before entering the gym, Dawn had stopped by the Pokemon Centre and Poke Mart for healing and supplies. It had been a fair bit of time since she last purchased valuable items and figured now was a good time to do so. She took in a deep breath and walked through the wooden doors stepping into a dark room. It was so dark that she couldn't even see her own hands in front of her.

A pair of cold hands grabbed her shoulders. "Boo!" Dawn screamed, taken by surprise. She staggered backwards, her back pressing up against the wall, as she tried to find a way to leave the place but the doors had closed behind her. White light flashed in her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you there, trainer!"

Even though she couldn't see the other person, she recognized the voice. Malcolm, the gym advisor. She heaved a sigh and looked at the torch holder, heart hammering away in her chest. Was she that easy to startle? "What was that for?" she replied, holding up her hands to shield her eyes from the powerful light.

"It's a habit."

She grumbled. "Are you sure this is a gym and not a horror house?"

Her words were greeted by a light-hearted chuckle. "Hearthome used to be an abbey as you are probably aware of, but do you know why it was built in the first place?" Dawn remained silent. The gym advisor continued. "The Hearthome you see today is a stark contrast to what it used to be. It used to be an ambush site for ghost-type trainers to prey on adventurers many centuries ago. The Lost Tower built to the east of this city helped the ghost-type trainers lay traps for their victims."

A cold chill raced down her spine. Never had she thought such a delightful place like Hearthome had such a dark history attached to its name. "Please, go on."

"The ghost-type trainers were eventually defeated and banished from the lands by the psychic-type Masters. They decided to build an abbey here to bring beauty to a place tainted with a dark past and they turned the Lost Tower into a place where the dead could rest in peace. The abbey was designed to unite trainers from all backgrounds and bring peace to the lands. People from the surrounding regions moved to Hearthome, attracted by the impressive structure. The psychic-type masters left afterwards and were replaced by a pair of ghost-type trainers."

"And what did they do?"

"They wanted to prove to the world ghost-type trainers were not to be feared like the previous ones were. The bodies of those who had lost their lives had their coffins built into the walls and floors of which you now stand upon."

Although she couldn't see the ground beneath her feet, Dawn glanced down anyway. She was standing on history right now and it was somewhat chilling to know she was standing on the coffins of the dead. "That's unsettling."

"Fantina arrived several decades later and purchased the abbey and turned it into a gym for trainers to strengthen their bonds with the spirits. There are no lights in this place to remind everyone of the darkness that once gripped this city, but challengers are given lanterns to help them find their way around."

He moved the light away from her face and pointed to a nearby shelf where there were a couple of handheld lanterns. He grabbed one, lit the flame inside and gave it to Dawn. She grabbed it with both hands, surprised by the lightness of the item. It looked cumbersome, but it could be held without problems with one hand. "There are trainers who prowl the halls waiting to ambush you so be careful. Also, be wary of the spirits. They cannot harm you in this realm, but it can be unsettling to have one pass through you. Keep your lantern close though and they will stay away. Good luck, trainer!"

Be wary of the spirits? What was that supposed to mean? Dawn was going to question the man further but she heard his footsteps walking away somewhere in the opposite direction. She was alone with nothing else than a dimly-lit lantern to show her the way. She held the lantern a few inches away from her face. The lantern emitted just enough light for her to see a metre ahead and behind her. As she moved forward, she could see the details of the dead on the ground below.

"Near this place lie the remains of John Tonman and Elizabeth, his wife. He died the second day of September, seventeen eighty-six, aged twenty one years. She died the ninth day of April seventeen eighty-seven, aged twenty two years," Dawn read aloud. There were a few more words written underneath but it was in such small font she would have to lower herself to her knees. She didn't have time to read every description on each tile – she was here for her gym badge, not here to study history.

She continued moving forward through the darkness taking cautious steps. The gym advisor had said that the gym trainers were patrolling the halls, waiting to ambush challengers to Fantina. She kept darting her gaze back and forth, keeping her eyes peeled for signs of danger. Relying on her vision alone wasn't going to help much though; she also had to rely on her sense of sound.

She held her lantern up high again and moved it from side to side checking out her surroundings. Nothing. No sign of spirits nor trainers wandering about. She was beginning to think she had avoided them when a cold breath washed over her back. Immediately, she spun around, but saw nothing. The coldness disappeared, replaced by warmth again.

Now she was nervous. The spirits that roamed these halls couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Their presence could only be felt by a cold touch. She brought the lantern closer to body, unsettled. Cold laughter filled the air, sending a chill down her spine. It felt as though she was being watched, but when she turned around she saw nothing. Were the spirits of the dead watching her?

Her heart beat began to quicken. The laughter was louder now, sounding more demented as she drew closer to the source. Instinctively, she moved a hand to her pokebelt and summoned her Gastly. Gastly would be right at home here and perhaps he could warn her of any approaching spirits or trainers. She threw her pokeball onto the floor. Moments later, her Gastly appeared, hovering before her.

Her Gastly floated around her head, stopping every couple of seconds to observe its surroundings. When Gastly stopped moving, Dawn did as well. Gastly's eyes narrowed into slits and he moved away from Dawn disappearing into the darkness. Dawn felt a bout of panic rise up within her. "Gastly, wait!" she called, chasing after her Pokemon.

She spotted her Gastly moments afterwards facing another Gastly. They were circling each other, waiting for the other Pokemon to move. "Gastly, use Night Shade!" a male voice ordered. The opposing Gastly attacked. The realization began to sink in that she had never battled in complete darkness before.

"Gastly, use Night Shade!" Dawn commanded. Her Gastly's purple hue faded temporarily as it launched its attack. A pained hiss escaped from the other Gastly's mouth.

"Drifloon, use Ominous Wind!"

Her lantern's flame flickered. Dawn's eyes widened. She brought her free hand to protect the flame from the breeze to prevent it from dying. A wave of unexplainable sadness overcame her, as she felt the chilling breeze brush up against her body. An urge to break down in tears overwhelmed her, but she managed to fight off the temptation. Moments later, a small purple balloon-type Pokemon floated emerged in her line of vision. She withdrew her hand protecting the lantern and brought out her Pokedex.

 _Drifloon. Because of the way it floats aimlessly, an old folktale calls it a 'Signpost for Wandering Spirits'._

She put the Pokedex away, glancing at the opponents. Two against one wasn't a fair fight. "Murkrow! Come out!" She summoned the avian. The bird flapped over to Gastly's side. "Use Pursuit!" It was hard to tell what the physical attacks did since it was so dark, but judging by the mournful moan that left the Drifloon's mouth, it must've dealt significant amounts of damage. The balloon slowly floated to the floor.

"Gastly, Night Shade!"

"Dodge it, Gastly!"

Her Gastly swooped down, avoiding the attack. "Use Night Shade Gastly! Murkrow, use Pursuit!" Murkrow's move worked well against the Drifloon. She assumed Dark-types were super-effective against Ghost-types.

"Oh no, my Gastly!"

The trainer's Gastly's purple hue faded as it dropped to the ground. She heard the sounds of a boy sobbing from somewhere to her right. The boy turned on his lantern and stepped towards her. "Keep moving north. You'll find Fantina eventually, but be warned, other trainers wait in ambush. I will remain here with my lantern to help you get your bearings. Proceed." He stepped back, holding his lantern before him.

Dawn continued to move forward. The effects of Ominous Wind were disappearing, but she still felt depressed for no real reason. Fortunately, her lantern's flame was still alive. Coldness brushed up against her again, this time scraping the back of her legs. She spun around and glanced down. A human figure with charred skin and no eyes, reached for her with two hands, emitting a deep mournful sound of longing. Dawn yelped and jumped back.

"Pain… in so much pain…" the spirit chanted.

It seemed the effects of Ominous Wind allowed her to temporarily see the dead spirits. She wished she couldn't because it was truly a frightening sight to behold. Without thinking, she kicked a leg at the spirit. Her leg went right through it. The spirit hissed and swiped at her again. Dawn leapt out of the way and swung her lantern at the spirit, forcing it to retreat from where it had come from. It backed away, shielding its eyeless face with a dismembered arm.

She started to run. She didn't want to be in this place for any longer than she had to. More spirits rose up from their graves and tried to grab her, but Dawn nimbly avoided their lunges and continued sprinting down the hallway. Two Gastly's rose up from the ground and were soon joined by a Pokemon with two three fingered claws which did not appear to be attached to its body. She held up her Pokedex again.

 _Haunter. The evolved form of Gastly. It likes to lurk in the dark and tap shoulders with a gaseous hand. Its touch causes endless shuddering._

She put it down. Endless shuddering? That didn't sound good at all.

"Stop right there, trainer! You don't get to face Fantina until you defeat me! You may have been fortunate to avoid some of the trainers here, but there's no way to get around me!" A lanky teenage male with green hair walked up towards his three Ghost-type Pokemon.

 _Triple-battle time,_ thought Dawn. She summoned her Deino to join Murkrow and Gastly. The moans and continuous chants of, 'Pain, in so much pain' filled the air around her as the spirits moved towards her position. She had to end this battle quickly. "Gastly, use Night Shade! Murkrow, use Pursuit! Deino, use Dragon Rage!"

"Gastlys', use Night Shade! Haunter, use Lick!" The Haunter moved first, floating towards her Gastly. Its gaseous hands grabbed the Gastly and held it in place, long enough for the Haunter to lick it in the face. Gastly shuddered. His purple aura disappeared and he floated to the bottom. Dawn cursed inwardly. One Pokemon down. Fortunately, she had two dark-types in her possession. The trainer's two Gastly's attacked afterwards, but their attacks did little damage.

Now it was her turn for her Pokemon to make their moves. Deino brought his head back, conjured a beam of draconic rage and sent it forth, smashing into the body of the Gastly's, causing it to faint immediately. Murkrow dashed forward and struck at the other Gastly bringing it to a fainted state. All that remained was the Haunter.

"Haunter, use Sucker Punch!" Haunter dashed forward, and drove one of its gaseous hands into Murkrow's face. Murkrow was thrown off balance, but fortunately remained in the air. The move didn't seem to do much damage at all.

"Finish him off with Pursuit, Murkrow, and follow that move up with Dragon Rage, Deino!" Murkrow regained his composure and flew towards the Haunter, driving its talons into its grinning face. Deino conjured another beam of energy and sent it forth, bringing the Haunter to the ground. "We did it!" Dawn cheered.

But her cheer was short-lived. The spirits were than a metre away from her now and there were quite a large number of them. Each spirit was deformed in different ways – some spirits were headless, and others had various limbs ripped off. Some spirits even had their stomachs torn open – she could see their entrails hanging out. She scrunched up her face in disgust. When did the affects of Ominous Wind fade?

"You might have Dark-type Pokemon your side trainer, but that won't be enough to defeat Fantina. Fantina has power over the spirits in this building and she can use their power as her own to aid in battle. The battle you face will not be as easy as you think it will be. You can choose to turn away now and train to battle another day or are you brave enough to face the wrath of the spirits?"

She didn't want to have to go through this all again. "I want to battle Fantina."

Cold laughter exited his mouth. "I would wish you good luck, but you'll need more than that to stay alive." He stepped aside. "You'll find the entrance to the dungeon through here." He pointed towards a trapdoor leading to the level below. This really felt like she had stepped into some castle of horrors.

.

Dawn lifted up the wooden planks and glanced down through the trapdoor. A wooden ladder led down into complete darkness – there was no telling how deep down this dungeon was. She gripped the ladder then placed her feet onto the rungs and tested the ladder's steadiness by giving it a slight shake. The ladder didn't even budge. _Well,_ she thought. _At least I know it's not going to collapse on me,_ she added, as she descended into the darkness.

She climbed further down with caution – the place was so dark she couldn't even see the next rung beneath her feet. Tortured screams bounced off the walls of the dungeon, sending a chill racing down her spine. The above floor was scary enough, but this place was something else. Eventually, she reached the bottom of the ladder after climbing down for what felt like an hour.

As soon as her feet touched the floor, the lights turned on. They were not bright lights, but there was enough for her to see her new environment. It was a small room – she was reminded of the ground floor of her house back in Twinleaf Town – except this place was far less cheerful. The walls were a dark grey colour and there were a couple of manacles scattered around the floor. She even spotted what looked to be a human skeleton slouched in a corner.

Creepy.

"Can you feel it?" a voice said. "Can you feel the sadness and pain of the spirits who rest here?"

Dawn jumped. One of the walls had opened revealing a tall lady dressed in a long purple dress. She hadn't even noticed that one of the walls had opened. "I… uh…" This was obviously the gym leader. It was weird seeing a lady in a fancy dress standing in a dark place like this.

"I am Fantina, a ghost-type specialist. You have shown tremendous courage entering my lair, but do not think this battle will be so easily won." The woman stepped forward and raised her hands into the air holding them above her head. "The spirits are restless. Your presence has awakened them."

Dawn took a step back. Unfortunately, her foot got caught in a manacle and she fell backwards landing on her backside. Her arms flailed in an attempt to keep her upright, but they only brushed up against some cobwebs. "Ahh!" she yelped, waving her arms around, batting the cobwebs away. Heart racing, she moved away from the webs, and rubbed her arms as if they were covered in spiders.

Fantina lowered her arms and brought her hands to her temples. Tilting her head forward, she closed her eyes. The lights flickered. Dawn took in a deep mouthful of air and clamped her mouth shut. This definitely wasn't what she was expecting. "There's something special about you… I can sense power… the spirits can feel it too… the blood… the darkness… the pain… it's a part of you… that's why the spirits are restless." Fantina opened her eyes and squinted.

"I do not understand what you are saying." Her fingers dropped to her pokebelt, brushing up against one of her pokeballs.

Fantina reached a hand forward, her fingers reaching for her forehead. Dawn tried to move out of the way, but stopped herself at the last minute, remembering what happened the last time she moved around the place. Fantina wouldn't hurt her, right? This was probably just part of her act as the gym leader of the ghost-types. "I will not hurt you, but I am curious to see why the spirits are acting the way they are. Your presence darkens even this place." Fantina pressed her fingers against Dawn's forehead.

A cold chill spread throughout her body. It reminded her of having a spirit move through her. It was as if the blood running through her veins had suddenly turned into ice. "What are you doing to me?" she gasped.

Fantina didn't reply to her question, instead she said something else. Her words were muffled though and Dawn couldn't decipher them. A few moments later, Fantina pulled her hand away, as the lights stopped flickering. Her eyes were wide. "What is your name, trainer?"

"Da-Dawn," she stuttered.

"Dawn, I do not wish to be the bearer of bad news, but your journey must end here." Fantina raised a hand above her head. "Come to me, Duskull!" Once again, Dawn felt a chill race down her spine. Duskull was obviously a Pokemon, but Dawn couldn't see it. Fantina hadn't even thrown a pokeball. She wasn't even wearing a pokebelt.

 _Get a grip, Dawn, this is just a battle,_ she scolded herself. Taking in a deep breath, Dawn reached down and selected a pokeball. She threw it forward, summoning her Murkrow to the field. The dark-type avian fared well in battle earlier against the ghost-types, this battle should be no different. "Murkrow!" The avian flapped around in circles above her head, searching for his target. Still there was sign of the Duskull.

"Duskull, use Will-O-Wisp!" Fantina ordered.

Dawn brought out her Pokedex ready to obtain data the moment the Pokemon revealed itself. A ball of purple fire emerged through one of the walls, striking her Murkrow in the side, exploding upon impact. Tiny purple flames burst out and enveloped her Murkrow, shrouding it in fire. Murkrow flapped his wings, trying to fan out the flames, but they remained. The smell of burnt feathers filled up the room.

A few moments later, a floating body clothed in a black robe with two visible bones appearing through the back appeared. It emerged through one of the walls. Dawn's jaw dropped. This creature appeared to be wearing a mask resembling a skull. A single red eye floated between the two eye sockets.

 _Duskull. It loves the crying of children. It startles bad kids by passing through walls and making them cry._

She was reminded of the Grim Reaper, only this Pokemon didn't wield a bloodstained scythe. "Murkrow, use Pursuit!" she ordered.

Murkrow flew forward, and launched himself at the Duskull. Duskull retreated back into the safety of the wall just as Murkrow prepared to strike. Murkrow hit the wall, temporarily stunning himself. Duskull emerged again. "Duskull, use Shadow Streak!" Before Dawn could think of a counter-strategy, Duskull morphed into a black ball and flung itself at Murkrow, knocking it down from the air. It returned to its normal form moments afterwards.

"Come on Murkrow, we can do this! Use Pursuit!" Murkrow tried to launch an attack again, but once more, the Duskull retreated into the safety of the walls. Murkrow collided into the wall again, this time succeeding in giving himself a concussion. He flopped to the ground, talons held up in the air, his wings outstretched. Dawn cursed inwardly as she recalled her Murkrow back to his ball. How was she supposed to fight against a Pokemon that could make itself invisible?

"You should surrender while you have the chance, Dawn. The bond I share with my Pokemon is much deeper than the one you share with yours. A battle against the ghost-types can't be won by your Pokemon's strength alone – the trainer must be strong as well. Pure-power will only take you so far. You lack faith. A lack of faith opens your mind to the dark spirits of the world."

Dawn dropped to her knees, a wave of helplessness washing over her. Fantina was right. She had no chance of winning this battle. The ghost-type Pokemon were far too strong. This was their natural environment. "I…" she stuttered. Her battles leading up to this seemed so insignificant in comparison. Gardenia… Roark… both battles had been won because of her Pokemon's power. But weren't battles supposed to be won by a Pokemon's power? Trainers didn't fight.

"Until you learn how to strengthen your mind, you will never win against me."

"I… don't understand…"

Fantina's expression remained hard. "Then you will never succeed. Duskull, return!" Duskull retreated back into the wall. "Do not face me until you are ready. Battling a trainer with a weak heart and mind is a waste of my time. Leave." Dawn couldn't find the words to speak, so she remained silent, her head hung low. She wasn't worthy enough of fighting. Not strong to continue on. She climbed back up the ladder.

Being back outside in the sunshine would normally lighten her mood, but she didn't feel any better. She had lost the battle all because she didn't have the strength to carry on. Fantina called her weak, but the gym leader was right. Even though she was quite the eccentric character, she spoke the truth. She saw her weaknesses.

Dawn made her way over to bench and sat down, watching two young male trainers face off against each other. Two Bidoofs stood between the two boys. The male wearing a blue backwards cap thrust his finger forward and gave his Bidoof the order to attack. His Bidoof leapt forward, tackling the other one. The other male with no cap shouted. His Bidoof freed itself from the other one's grip and fought back, managing to drive the Bidoof back a couple of steps.

Dawn found herself unable to tear her gaze away. Fantina had spoken of a bond between a trainer and their Pokemon, but what did she mean by that? A trainer couldn't fight a Pokemon's battle – the trainer only issued orders and formulated a strategy to overpower the other.

"What? No way! How did your Bidoof get out of that?" the cap-wearing boy exclaimed.

"I believe in myself and in my Pokemon! My Pokemon is strong, but when we're together, he's much stronger than your battle hardened Bidoof!" The two Bidoofs ran into each other and the cap boy's Bidoof was overpowered once again.

Dawn glanced down at her pokeballs. What was she missing? Something nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. So far, her battles had been won by exploiting the weaknesses of her opponents. It had been a strategy that had worked well up until now. "What am I missing?" she murmured.

She was engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't recognize the presence of someone else besides her. It was only when the other person spoke did Dawn come back to her senses. Immediately, she turned to her left and spotted a lady dressed all in black sitting next to her. Dawn raised a brow. Was this someone she should recognize? She had never seen this person before – the woman hid her hair beneath her cap and black shades concealed her eyes.

"Dawn," the woman spoke softly, removing her shades. She removed her cap as well, letting long blonde curls fall down around her head and back. Now Dawn recognized her. The lady back in Oreburgh City who told her about the mining clothes.

"How do you know my name?" The words left her mouth before she even gave it much thought. She realized now it probably sounded rude. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude."

The woman chuckled. "No harm done."

"Let me guess, you are part of the International Police Force?" It would make sense that she did. She was keeping an eye on Dawn. Why else would she be here now? Looker and this lady were probably taking turns keeping track on her. It would explain why this blonde-haired lady had been at Oreburgh at the right time.

The woman raised her eyebrows. "International Police?"

Perhaps not. Dawn frowned. "You don't know Looker?"

"Should I?"

Awkward moment. "So if you're not part of the International Police, how did you learn my name?" Although this was her first real conversation with the lady, it felt rather easy talking to her, as if she had known her since birth.

"I've known you since the day you were born, Dawn. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I didn't have the chance. My name is Cynthia."

Dawn frowned. Was Cynthia telling the truth? She tilted her head to the right, trying to work out whether or not the woman was lying. She seemed sincere though and didn't look like the type to lie, but it was hard to trust people when there were people like Galactic running around the region causing all sorts of trouble. "The name doesn't sound familiar."

"I don't blame you for not remembering. I didn't have the chance to spend much time with you – I was on my own Pokemon journey," she said softly.

"You're a trainer?"

Cynthia chuckled. "You seem surprised."

"Mum never mentioned you."

"Johanna didn't see much of me herself – she probably thought it was best if you didn't know me."

"Because you're a trainer, right? She didn't want me to become a trainer for so long." Dawn looked down at her hands resting on her lap and sighed. "Can't say I blame her though… I'm not exactly doing a good job at being a trainer."

Cynthia frowned, and placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder, brushing a strand of blue hair away from her face. "What makes you say that?"

Dawn lifted her chin up and met Cynthia's gaze. "I couldn't beat Fantina even though I have a type-advantage against her. She said I wasn't worth battling because my bond wasn't strong enough. I don't understand what she meant by that. What does she mean by a bond?"

"A bond is a connection you form with your Pokemon. You have a special bond with each individual and it grows deeper over time. I guess you could say it's a form of energy that comes from within. Some trainers abuse their bonds with their Pokemon and so they walk down a different path than the ones you and I choose to walk," Cynthia explained. She paused for a moment allowing her words to sink in then continued. "When you retrieved your Turtwig from Professor Rowan, you created a bond with him."

"Fantina said my bond wasn't strong enough, but what does she mean? I defeated Roark and Gardenia. I fought and defeated some Galactic grunts. I battled against numerous trainers on the journey here and won. Doesn't that strengthen my bond?"

"There's more to battling than pure power, Dawn. That's a mistake many trainers make – you can defeat your opponent by exploiting their weaknesses, but what do you gain from that other than the thrill of victory?"

Dawn thought hard. "A badge?"

"Think about your early battles, Dawn. How did you defeat your early opponents?"

The first trainer she battled against was her best friend, Barry. It seemed like ages ago since that day, but in reality it had only been a few weeks. Her Turtwig had a type-disadvantage against Chimchar, yet her Pokemon had managed to pull out a miraculous win in both situations. Fantina's ghost-type Pokemon had a type-disadvantage against her dark-type but she still won. "I believed in Turtwig."

"Some trainers believe that a bond only grows stronger the more battles their Pokemon wins, but that is not true. Love is the strongest weapon – if you love your Pokemon and believe in yourself, seemingly impossible battles will become possible. It was a lesson I had to learn when I was starting out on my journey." She smiled.

"You speak as you have experienced it."

"Every trainer experiences it at some point in their career, but unfortunately, many trainers discover it in their late years. I was fortunate to have learned about the bond in my first few weeks – I don't know how I would've managed my later battles if I hadn't." She gave Dawn a reassuring smile. "Trainers who lose their way will begin to fail. They become trapped in a vicious cycle of constant failure. When the light fades, there is darkness. When hope is gone, all is lost. You need to know what you are fighting for because it gives the battle more meaning."

Dawn sunk back in the bench, reflecting on Cynthia's words. She reflected on her previous gym battles and realized she had relied on a type-advantage to win. She went into battles thinking about the quickest way to obtain victory rather than think about the reason for battling in the first place. "I've been battling for the wrong reasons…" she said slowly.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Dawn. You have just started on your journey and you are doing much better than most people your age do. Many trainers fail to realize how difficult a trainer's journey is – you should be proud of yourself that you've made it this far." Cynthia removed her hand off Dawn's shoulder.

"When did you start your journey? Were your parents trainers too?" Dawn blurted unable to stop herself. Cynthia was like the sister she never had. "We have a lot of catching up to do," she added, a slow smile crossing over face. Cynthia had given her a lot to think about and helped her better understand the bond Fantina had mentioned.

"I started my journey when I was ten years old in Celestic Town. I didn't have the option of selecting a starter Pokemon because I lived so far away from Professor Rowan, and so I was given a Gible by a couple of dragon tamers from next door."

"Did you take the gym challenge?"

Cynthia shook her head, blonde locks falling around her eyes. She brushed aside her bangs and continued speaking. "Yes, I did, but obtaining badges wasn't my primary goal. Taking the gym challenge allowed me to travel across the region and learn more about the bond between trainers and Pokemon. A Pokemon is only as strong as their trainer is, you see. I wanted to learn how to maximise that bond."

"And have you?"

"There are times I feel like I have learnt all there is to know about the bond, but we have yet to fully understand Pokemon."

"Were your parents trainers?"

"They were, but they chose not to take on the gym challenge, preferring the quiet life. My father left before I commenced my journey and my mother came down with a sickness that claimed her life. My grandmother raised me. It was her who convinced me to take on the gym challenge in the first place. It was my grandmother who asked me to keep an eye on you."

"Keep an eye on me?" Dawn studied Cynthia's expression carefully – did her grandmother feel she was in danger? Cynthia had known her from birth so perhaps she knew something she didn't? She caught a brief glimpse of hesitance in the trainer's eyes. Cynthia knew something. "What is it?"

Cynthia's smile faded. "These are troublesome times, Dawn. You are aware of Galactic's presence, yes?"

Dawn nodded. "What do you know of them?" Cynthia bit her bottom lip and averted her gaze. She knew something about them, but she seemed conflicted whether or not to inform Dawn. "Cynthia? Please, tell me. Why does your grandmother want you to keep an eye on me? Am I in danger? Is that why my mother tried to hold me back from becoming a trainer?"

"I shouldn't be the one to tell you this, but no one else will." Cynthia leaned closer, lowering her volume to a whisper. "We are all in danger but you more so than anyone else." Dawn drew in a sharp breath and jerked her head back. "I don't mean to frighten you, but you must know. Team Galactic are trying to create a new universe using energy from Pokemon."

"How does it involve me?"

Cynthia hesitated. "It involves you because…" She paused suddenly, raking a hand through her hair. She looked into Dawn's eyes and Dawn could see conflict within them. Whatever information Cynthia knew must be something groundbreaking. "I… I can't tell you. I'm sorry, Dawn." She stood up.

Dawn leapt to her feet and grabbed Cynthia's arm. "You have to tell me!"

"I've told you too much already." Cynthia gently removed Dawn's fingers from her arm and put her shades back on. She tied her hair up into a bun and stashed it under her cap and started to walk away. Dawn followed her. Cynthia stopped and glanced down at the younger girl. "I wish I could tell you, but I realize now it's not my place. I know who your father is."

Dawn froze. "You know?" she said, her mouth suddenly dry.

Cynthia bent down and grabbed Dawn's hands, tightening her fingers. "Keep your Pokemon close and remember what I told you today. There is always hope as long as you believe." She released her grip and stood up again then walked away without saying another word. Dawn remained in place, watching Cynthia's retreating form.

No one wanted to tell her the truth – what were they afraid of? Was he linked somehow to Team Galactic? Was that why her mother refused to speak of it with her? So many questions to answers she did not have. Her father's identity was something her mother wanted to hide and Cynthia was tasked with watching over her from her grandmother. Fantina seemed to sense there was something about her that was unnerving. Even Charon, the creepy guy at Valley Windworks seemed to know her as well.

That confirmed it. Her father had some connection with Team Galactic. Perhaps he was the brains behind the organization. She wondered if she had crossed paths with him already. Charon… Jupiter… Mars… Cyrus. Jupiter and Mars were out of the question since they were both female and she knew who her mother was already. Charon was old enough to be her grandfather, but she didn't recognize any similarities in his appearance.

That left Cyrus, the guy she had run into on multiple occasions. He had given her a dusk stone. He seemed to genuinely worry about her busted lip and he seemed to always be in the place she was visiting or near it. He too had blue hair no one else aside from herself and her mother had. The signs were all there. The realization that her father could possibly be the guy in charge of Galactic began to sink in. It wasn't a realization that brought her great joy and not anger, but sadness.

"There is always hope as long as you believe," Dawn said aloud, recalling Cynthia's words. Her mother didn't believe people were born evil but rather their company and surrounding environment impacted their decision-making. Dawn felt the same. She couldn't, and would not cast judgement upon her father until she had a chance to speak with him and understand things from his perspective.

Now it was just a matter of finding him again, but first she had to obtain her third badge. Find a reason for battling, Cynthia had said. She had found it now – this was no longer about winning badges to gain entry into the league challenge. Her journey was about finding the truth to bring her family back together again.


	12. Darkness and Light, Part Two

**Chapter Eleven: Darkness and Light, part two**

Stepping back down into Fantina's dungeon still gave her the chills, but this time she felt prepared. She needed to learn the truth and for that to happen she needed to obtain her third badge to explore the region further. There were so many questions regarding Cyrus racing through her mind. Why Galactic? Why had he run away? What was his end goal?

She glanced down at the dusk stone in her left hand, debating with herself whether to use it to evolve her Murkrow or not. An evolved Murkrow would easily destroy Fantina's ghost-type Pokemon, but was it worth it? Cynthia had said love was the powerful weapon a trainer could use. She put the Dusk Stone back into her bag. "Not yet."

"Are you ready for the rematch?" Fantina said.

Dawn nodded. "I am."

"Then let us waste no more time. Let the battle begin!"

Dawn knew Fantina was going to rely on using her Pokemon's natural abilities to hide within the walls and appear at random moments. Her Pokemon, or at least based on what she had seen, had a predictable moveset. Wait for opponent to attack, retreat into a solid then counter with a status-inflicting move and wait until the opponent fainted. To win this battle she had to be unpredictable.

She summoned Murkrow to take the first battle. Fantina just smirked. "Murkrow again?"

"I know I won't lose this battle."

Fantina lifted her eyebrows. "Interesting."

Murkrow flew in circles, never straying too far from Dawn. She glanced up at Murkrow and nodded. This battle was theirs to be won. "Murkrow, use Peck on the lights!" Murkrow crowed and flew towards one of the ceiling lights and attacked it, causing it to drop onto the floor. The lights were actually candles in little orbs and not actually fuelled by electricity like she had originally assumed. Before the candle hit the floor, Murkrow swooped down and grabbed it with one of his talons. "Spirits don't like light, do they?"

"Smart thinking, but it won't save you. Duskull, use Will-O-Wisp!"

A ball of fire exited from the walls and floated towards her Murkrow. Last time, the attack had taken her by surprise, but this time, she knew it could be easily avoided. "Murkrow, do a loop!" She had never tested this evasive move before, but she had to have the faith. Instead of trying to out-speed the ball, her Murkrow did a loop in the air taking Fantina by surprise. The ball of purple flame could lock onto a Pokemon, but could not change directions fast enough. Duskull's Will-O-Wisp attack hit the ceiling wall and died.

"Your Murkrow has been practicing for the aerial gymnastics show?"

"Your Pokemon isn't the only one who can do tricks." Not that hiding in a wall was a trick for a Ghost-type Pokemon. "Now Murkrow, use Pursuit!" Murkrow flew towards the Duskull, raising his talons in preparation to strike. Blinded by the light, the Duskull was temporarily frozen in place, allowing Murkrow to land an attack.

Duskull howled and swayed from side to side then fell to the ground. It retreated to the place where Fantina's pokeball were hiding. "You are full of surprises, Dawn. Your next battle won't be so easy. Haunter!"

Haunter was a Pokemon she had a fair bit of experience in fighting against, but Fantina's one was going to be tougher. It was still a Ghost-type thought which meant it would most likely rely on hiding in walls and ambushing as its main strategy. That wasn't going to work on her, not anymore. Dawn called her Murkrow back and brought out her Deino to take the second battle. Fantina knew her Murkrow well enough now to counter-attack, but she knew nothing about Deino.

"Haunter, use Confuse Ray!"

Haunter floated forward and lifted a hand, emitting a beam of purple. The beam struck Deino in the face, but Deino's composure was not rattled. Instead, he turned around to face Dawn and growled. Dawn planted her feet in the ground. "Deino, I know you can hear my voice. I am not your enemy." Deino took a step towards her, his growls becoming louder in volume with each step. Confused Pokemon were known to attack themselves but she had never heard of one turning on their trainer before. Deinos had sharp teeth. Getting bit by one wasn't going to be pleasant. She lowered to her knees. All she could do was hope Deino could fight off the invisible force controlling his mind. "We've been through a fair bit together already, Deino."

Her Deino continued to advance towards her. Other trainers would probably run but running now would mean giving up the battle. The forces that had gained control of Deino's mind were strong – much stronger than she assumed. Now she could understand why a large number of trainers enjoyed confusing their opponents. It seemed like a cheap strategy to her though. She rose to her feet. Deino lunged, knocking her off her feet.

"Dawn!"

Deino roared, gnashing his powerful jaws at Dawn's face. She struggled to fight him off. Although it was a baby still, it was incredibly strong. Fantina rushed over and tried to help lift Deino off, but the baby dragon would not budge. He turned around and bit Fantina who jerked a hand back, a hiss of pain leaving her throat. "Deino…" Dawn murmured, trying to push the heavy dragon off, but he still refused to budge.

He opened his jaws again. Dawn protected her face with an arm. Sharp teeth pierced the flesh causing her to cry out immediately. At that moment, Deino climbed off her, seeming confused by what had just happened. She sat up, clutching her bleeding arm to her chest, wincing as pain travelled up her arm.

"Dawn!" Fantina called out, dropping down besides her. Dawn noticed the woman's hand was bleeding, but not nearly as badly as her own wound. The bleeding she could handle – she had experienced far worse stenches, but this pain was something else. It was like being stabbed by a knife, only it was much worse because there multiple knives. "You're bleeding badly. I need to get you to the Pokemon Centre."

"But the battle…"

Fantina shook her head. "The battle is over. You can't fight in this condition. Can you stand?" She nodded weakly and rose to her feet, supported by Fantina. Fantina wrapped an arm around Dawn's waist and walked her slowly to one of the walls. She touched it and opened revealing a secret back door staircase that led to the surface. "Stay with me, Dawn. We'll be there soon."

.

The return trip to the headquarters in Veilstone City had been a quiet one. Cyrus had refused to speak, and even if he had chosen to, Jupiter would not respond. She still harboured ill feelings towards him and she felt justified in her rage. Charon was right – Cyrus didn't trust his original trio. They were simply doing the dirty work for him while he claimed the benefits whatever they were.

She sat in the commanders' quarters on the couch, peering down at the documents on the table. There was a badly drawn image of what she expected was supposed to be her face and besides it, a line reading, 'most disliked'. Jupiter picked it up, scrunched it into a ball, and hurled it across the room, watching it bounce off the far wall.

Mars. It couldn't be anyone else – Saturn was stationed at one of three lakes and Charon wouldn't stoop that low. The grunts couldn't enter the room without a code so it left Mars. For some reason, the girl didn't seem to like Jupiter much. She claimed Jupiter was bossy and boring while Jupiter thought Mars was an immature foolish girl. Why on earth had Cyrus hired her?

The door opened. "I saw the boss earlier – he didn't look too pleased. You failed, right?"

Jupiter glanced over the shoulder and spotted Mars. The younger girl helped herself to the fridge and grabbed a chocolate bar then sat down on the leather couch opposite to Jupiter. She crossed her legs and flattened her skirt, brushing a stray piece of red hair behind an ear then took a bite of her chocolate.

"I didn't lose my battle against the little witch. The local gym leader and her minions were coming to investigate. I had no choice but to leave. If the battle had been allowed to continue, I would've crushed her… something _you_ failed to achieve."

Mars snorted. "Charon stopped me from beating that brat."

"She's not just some ordinary child."

Mars raised an eyebrow. "And what is that supposed to mean? Are you implying she has special powers?" She chuckled. Her smirk faded moments after. "I know I'll have another chance to prove myself worthy of being a Galactic commander. This time, Charon won't be there to stop me from introducing the girl to a new world of pain. The boss is going to reward me."

There once was a time Jupiter would have laughed at that comment – Mars was so devoted to the boss, Jupiter was certain she was in love with him. The girl tried her hardest to get the boss's attention that she once dyed her hair orange. Cyrus didn't even notice. Mars was heartbroken for a week, but she recovered and returned her hair to its natural shade of red. Nowadays, she tried to win the boss's affections by carrying out his wishes to the best of her abilities. What a try hard.

Saturn was no better – he was a suck-up. He always sided with the boss and pretended to understand what was going on even if it was obvious he had no idea what he was agreeing to. He did not speak ill of the boss and he always praised him, going on about how Cyrus was the greatest person he had ever met before in his life. Jupiter, on the other hand, wasn't so blindly devoted to him.

"You think he's going to reward you for defeating a child?" Jupiter taunted. Now was her chance to crush the girl's spirit. Maybe then she'd open her eyes and realize the boss didn't care about any of them at all. "And what exactly would he reward you with? Somehow, I can't imagine him throwing you a party." The boss didn't believe in celebrating birthdays and other related events. He claimed it was pointless and a waste of energy, but he didn't stop the others from celebrating, as long as they kept it quiet.

"That girl has been messing with our plans. She has to be stopped. We made an oath to carry out the boss' wishes and that includes ending those who threaten his plans," she replied, placing her half-eaten chocolate bar on the table. "You can stand down if you wish – it would be better if you did actually. We all know that you are the weakest link of the team. The less involved you are the better for us all."

Jupiter suppressed a growl. The arrogance she was displaying was astounding. Mars seemed to think she was the best of the team even though she was recruited a few months after Jupiter and Saturn. "You lay one finger on that brat and you'll be worse off than you are now. The girl is off-limits."

Mars rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're just trying to play mind games with me. It's not going to work." She uncrossed her legs then stood up, flattening down her skirt again and threw Jupiter a hateful glare. "You're just jealous of me. You want the glory for yourself."

"I discovered something interesting about our boss's history," Jupiter started, knowing any mention of the boss would hold Mars' attention. As she had expected, Mars froze in place and spun around, looking at Jupiter with suspicion. "I didn't mean to, but he let it slip. I figured out why that girl is so important to him."

Mars returned to the couch and sat down. "You're lying. The boss never loses control."

"That's where you're wrong. I guess you don't know him as well as you think."

"What do you know?"

Jupiter shrugged. "I don't know if I should tell you."

All traces of Mars' amusement had long since disappeared. She studied Jupiter like a Braviary. "Tell me."

She considered letting the younger commander suffer for a few moments longer, but decided it was better to get it over and done with. Mars would probably find out eventually. Jupiter wanted to be the one to break the bad news before someone else did. "That girl you wish to defeat? She's more important to him than you or me."

Mars eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly, as Jupiter's words began to sink in. "Are you implying that…" Her face paled.

"We don't know much about the boss's history at all, if anything. But thanks to a slip-up he made, I figured out that the blue-haired girl is his daughter." Jupiter studied Mars's face. The girl looked like she had a ghost float through her. She felt little sympathy for the girl – she knew from first-hand experience what it was like to feel rejected by someone you grew to love.

"No… it can't be true…" Mars murmured. "He wouldn't… he said he was above all that…"

"He lied to you, Mars. He lied to me." She grabbed Mars's shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "He took advantage of our weaknesses and convinced us working for him would solve everything, but what has changed? We may have a roof over our heads and food on our plates, but we are just pawns in a game." Jupiter released Mars' shoulders.

Tears started to trail down Mars' cheeks. "I… why would he…"

Jupiter didn't have an answer to that question. She didn't know why Cyrus had chosen them, but she did know one thing. Whatever his end game was, she knew it didn't involve them. "I don't know," she said softly.

Mars was trembling now, unable to stop the tears from flowing. Her devotion to Cyrus was a lot deeper than Jupiter had originally thought. The girl had allowed herself to fall in love with a seemingly perfect man who would never return her affections. In her case, it was even worse because the man she loved had a daughter with another unknown woman, something she could never give. Cyrus had a policy that love-making was not allowed to take place because it led to unnecessary complications like children. "I thought he… could be trusted…"

"I thought the same."

At that moment, Mars broke down. Jupiter wrapped her arms around the younger girl and did her best to comfort her, as if she was tending to a young child. For once in her life, Jupiter didn't hate the girl. Mars continued to cry into her shoulder then pulled herself away, wiping the tears away. "Charon warned me… I should've listened… he told me that Cyrus would never appreciate me… I didn't want to believe…"

"There's not much we can do. We both swore an oath to serve him and we can't break that now." The oath would only break should Cyrus free them or something unfortunate happened to him. Mars sniffed again, reaching for the chocolate bar on the table. "I'll talk to Charon. He seems to know more about Cyrus than what he's letting on. Stay here, Mars. We'll sort something out later, all right?"

Mars didn't reply. Jupiter had a feeling the girl was thinking of doing reckless, like chasing after that trainer and beating her to a pulp to get back at the boss. Such an action would do more harm than good and make their entire situation so much worse. "I'm going to talk to him." She stood up abruptly, biting down on her lower lip to stop a new flood of tears.

"Mars… whatever you are thinking of doing, don't bring it up with the boss." Mars was still young and often let her emotions rule her rational mind. This was one of those moments. Jupiter tried to plead with her again. "Let me talk to Charon first and then we can worry about Cyrus later." Mars seemed to relax and Jupiter thought she had convinced the younger commander to not cause more trouble, but then Mars sprinted towards the door before Jupiter could even stop her. "Mars!" Jupiter called out. But it was too late. Mars was gone.

.

Cyrus searched through a box of old books, looking for stuff to throw out. It had been quite some time since he had last cleaned up his office and now seemed like a good time. Besides, it kept his mind distracted from thoughts of his commanders. He sat down on the ground and opened the dusty cardboard box.

Half of the books in the box were so old the pages themselves were turning a dark shade of yellow. The books probably weren't relevant anymore, but he wanted to go through them anyway, just in case he had missed something important. One by one, he searched through them all, not a single book catching his eye. He had almost given up hope when he came across one that had Charon's name on the front.

Unlike the other books, this one had a spiral spine. He picked it up, stood up from the ground and sat down at his desk. The title of the book read, _'Sinnoh's Legendary Pokemon.'_ He opened the first page and read the first few lines which were handwritten.

 _Legendary Pokemon exist in many different regions, taking forms of different types of creatures. But what do we know about these mythical beasts? Not much research has been undertaken in relation to the beasts since the legendaries are elusive and often shy away from humans, unless they see something special in a trainer._

 _But I believe I can offer insight into the creatures of Sinnoh. Scientists have often looked into the existence of the Creation Duo, Dialga and Palkia, the creators of time and space, but there is a third creator scientists have overlooked. Ghost-type masters that choose to traverse the Spirit World will often claim there is a powerful presence – they will refer to him as the Shadow Beast, but I have come up with a better name, Giratina._

 _Giratina represents anti-matter, and he has the power to create a new universe from nothing. He cannot be seen under normal circumstances since Giratina dwells in the realm. Giratina betrayed his creator, Arceus. As a result, he was banished to live in what we commonly refer to as the Spirit World. The Spirit World allows a ghost-type trainer to see things many cannot._

 _I personally prefer to call the Spirit World the Distortion World. The world can change depending on how you'd like it to be and actions that happen in that realm have consequences on the real world. Giratina is stuck in a cage and desperate to be freed to slay his creator. I believe I know of a way to open the gate to the main area where Giratina's chains are. Opening the rift to allow a non-walker to enter requires an item called the Red Chain._

 _The Red Chain contains the gems held by the Lake Guardians, the beings of knowledge, emotion and willpower. When the three creatures come together as one, their gems can be extracted and turned into a powerful tool to summon Dialga and Palkia to unlock the gate to Giratina's home realm. From then on, Giratina can be captured and his power can be used to create an entirely new universe. But of course-"_

The notes ended there. He knew there was some importance behind the Lake Guardians, but didn't realize they were that important. At first, he was only hunting them down because he had heard they could remove spirit with a single touch, and figured using their power would help him achieve that goal. All he had to do now was find a way to force the Lake Guardians to rise to the surface. If he could drain the lakes of water somehow…

"You!"

He was startled out of his thoughts by the presence of Mars who burst through the doors. Her cheeks were swollen, and her eyes were red. Evidence she had been crying recently. Cyrus glanced up from Charon's notebook and eyed Mars. "What is the problem, commander?"

She marched up towards his table, clenched fists swinging at her sides. She stopped at the front, grabbed the book and yanked it away from him before he could stop her. "You made me believe that I could be a better person but that was just another lie, wasn't it?!" she accused, her eyes burning like black fire.

"Give me back the book."

She shook her head. "I trusted you!" she shrieked. "I swore an oath to serve you!"

"I do not understand the reason behind your anger." First he had to deal with Jupiter and now Mars? Charon was right. His commanders were beginning to lose faith in him. How long did he have until his grunts lost the faith as well?

"Everything you've said… every word has been a lie." She took in a deep shuddering breath then continued. "You don't care about any of us, do you?" She paused.

He sighed. "That is not true."

She threw her head back, forcing a sardonic laugh to leave her throat. "We've been loyal to you, sacrificing everything just to keep you satisfied, but you tell us nothing in return! You come up with all these laws that we have to follow, but you're allowed to break them as you please! You've been the one person who I thought believed in me…"

Obviously, Mars had learnt a few things from Jupiter which was surprising since he assumed they did not like each much at all. "And I do believe in you, Mars. You passed the tests, proving yourself worthy of being a commander."

"Then explain Dawn!" she blurted. "Is it true? Is she your daughter?"

Somehow, he had a feeling Dawn was going to be brought up in this conversation. "Why does it matter?" He didn't see how having a daughter made anything any different. "Nothing has changed."

Mars shook her head, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You didn't answer the question."

"Instead of wasting time asking me questions about things that are none of your concern, you could be proving your loyalty to me." He stood up from behind his desk and walked over to stand next to her then reached a hand out to cup her chin, tilting it upwards. She did not move, but the anger in her eyes seemed to dim. "Or did I make mistake in placing _my_ trust in you?"

She finally pulled away. "I… What would you have me do?"

He lowered his hand. "We're going to capture the Lake Guardians. You will find Mesprit. Saturn and Jupiter will retrieve the others."

"Capture the Lake Guardians? How are we going to do that?"

Good question. The Lake Guardians weren't just going to come to the surface for the sake of it. They were legendaries and they could sense trouble. He was going to have to resort to drastic measures to force them out to capture them. "We're going to use a bomb on each of the lakes. It is unfortunate, but there aren't any other options available. Charon and I… developed an injection that puts a Pokemon to sleep. We will use that." It worked on common Pokemon, but he wasn't sure if it worked on something as powerful as a legendary. Only time would tell. "I would like the book back, Mars."

She glanced down. "Oh sure," she said, and handed the book back to him.

"I will inform you when you are to leave."

She nodded again then turned around and left, without uttering another word. Cyrus sat back down at his desk and sighed. That had gone a lot smoother than he thought, but did he still have her full loyalty? There was nothing to stop her from challenging Dawn to a battle, but that was inevitable anyway. Dawn was most likely going to do her best to save the Lake Guardians. He sat back in his chair. Would she prove him wrong?

.

"Where is she? Let me see her now!"

"We can't let you in, madam. She's resting right now and she needs to recover from the wound."

"She's my daughter! Let me in!"

Dawn's eyes fluttered open. She didn't know where she was other than she was lying down on a hard bed in a white room. There was so much white. Didn't these people have a taste in colour? And what was up with the sweat? She wasn't hot nor cold, but she was sweating so much she felt like had taken a shower.

She tried to sit up, but she couldn't move. There were many pieces of equipment sticking into various limbs and she didn't know what any of them were. Not that it really mattered though because all she could think about was how weak and disgusting she felt. How had she gotten here? She heard footsteps and voices. A man and a woman.

"Deino bites are nasty. This one bit down on her pretty hard. She's lost a lot of blood," said the male.

"Do you think she'll need a blood transfusion?"

There was a pause. "Yes, but it's going to be hard finding the type. I checked her medical details. She's a B negative."

"And the mother?"

"O positive."

"What about her father?"

Another pause. "No records."

"We need to find him."

The man exited the room leaving Dawn only with the female. The woman pulled over a chair and sat down, gently pushing aside the bangs attached to her face. Another lady burst into the room. Johanna. She rushed over to Dawn's side and started crying. "My poor baby girl… it's all my fault! I should have never have let you go on your journey…"

Dawn tried to respond, but felt far too weak to say anything. Opening her mouth was a task and even mustering up a weak grin was far too much effort. "Madam! You can't be in here!" The male said, rushing back into the room, to take her mother away. She fought back, freeing herself from his grasp and batted his arms away.

"She's my daughter! I'm not going anywhere!"

The female nurse just shrugged. "She _is_ the mother, Kurt."

He sighed, pressing his lips into a thin line. "We need to consider getting security…" He turned to face Johanna. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your daughter needs a blood transfusion. She's lost a severe amount of blood to the Deino bite. If she doesn't have a transfusion soon, she will die."

"Take my blood, then!" Johanna said, holding her arm out.

"Your blood is incompatible. You are O positive. She's a B negative. She can only accept blood from B negatives and O negatives."

"Well find someone then!"

The doctor shook his head. "It's not so easy, madam. B negatives and O negatives are rare, especially here in Sinnoh." The female doctor tried to comfort Johanna as her sobs became less controlled. The man cleared his throat and spoke again. "We were hoping you could contact her father – there's a chance he's a B negative as well. This might be our only hope, madam."

Dawn rolled her head to the right, looking at her mother. She looked horrified. Johanna leaned over the bed, gazing down at her daughter, tears streaming down her face, each drop falling on her face. She wiped the tears away with her hand, turned around and nodded. "I'll give him a call." She gave Dawn one last fleeting glance and followed the male doctor outside of the room. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the pain would go away as her strength continued to fade.

.

 _Our encounter was a sudden one. It was when I found my toy robot, one that I had earlier misplaced. At that instant, a Pokémon startlingly emerged from the lawn mower's motor! Clutching my robot, I stared, transfixed by the peculiar Pokémon. The Pokémon hovered in the air, held aloft by a power unseen. As if curious and unafraid of my presence, it floated toward me. Crackling sounds accompanied it, as if from static electricity in the air. Remarkably, it seemed the Pokémon was the source of this power! In alarm, I flinched, certain that my face would be subjected to a shock. Much to my surprise, the Pokémon seemed to favour me with a smile._

 _Finally, I came to realize that the Pokémon only wished to be friends. I have decided to name this most wondrous Pokémon 'Rotom.' Simple though it may be, Rotom emerged to me from the motor of a lawn mower. Motor and Rotom... Surely the link is obvious?_

 _Rotom is a Pokémon that is simply sensational. The fact that it can turn invisible is simply the beginning. What makes Rotom unique is its ability to enter and operate machinery!_ _Rotom and I became fast friends. We were perpetual companions. The electricity from its body forbade contact, however. We could not touch, let alone hug or hold hands, but we cared not. For we were bonded on a much deeper, incorporeal level._

 _A feeling of mischief got the better of me one day. Seeing Rotom hovering, I decided to startle it-normally I would not. Perhaps frightened, Rotom discharged power beyond its usual range. I fell, stunned, into the arms of unconsciousness..._

 _When I came to, to my horror I realized that Rotom had disappeared. I searched high and low for my friend in dismay and desperation. 'Don't chastise yourself. The fault is mine. No harm done. Let us play as we always have.' Though my words poured out, my friend could not be found to hear them..._

 _My search for Rotom carried me far from home. It was in the town's rubbish heap that I again found my old toy robot. Curiously, our eyes met, then the robot waved a hand as if in greeting. I knew then that I had found my lost friend. I ran to it and hugged Rotom tight, talking on and on._

 _The robot's eyes lit up happily as I held it. I'm certain that, within it, Rotom was emitting lots of electricity. Somehow, I felt I could understand Rotom's thoughts better than before. Also, I realized that we would remain friends throughout our lives..._

"My poor Rotom…" Charon murmured, pulling his eyes away from the handwritten text of his first journal. When he was a teenager, he had kept a journal detailing his adventures with Rotom. Rotom helped him gain entrance into the Spirit World where he had come face-to-face with Giratina.

He remembered it clearly – he had been a curious teenager at the time and he and Rotom had been studying the environment when Giratina arrived, bursting through the bushes, jaws gnashing. It had only taken one swing of his tail to fatally wound his beloved companion. Charon had escaped, and had been forced to put his Rotom down, sparing him from a painful death. It was a merciful killing, and one he still felt saddened by, even after all these long years. He had buried the remains of his friend in a grave near an abandoned woodcutter's hut somewhere deep in Eterna Forest where no one could stumble across his grave, preserving his memory.

The death of his Rotom had motivated him to learn all he could about Giratina. There wasn't much to go by with because there was a severe lack of information in this area, but by studying the other legendary creatures of Sinnoh, he had come up with a few theories. Opening the gate to Giratina's realm could be accessed by using the powers of Dialga and Palkia. Using ghost-type blood wasn't a requirement.

The hard part of course was enslaving Dialga and Palkia. It required harvesting the gems the Lake Guardians had in their bodies and turning those gems into the Red Chain, a powerful tool that could enslave any legendary Pokemon for a period of time. His research into Pokemon enslavement led to him getting fired from Silph Co, but it didn't stop him from researching the matter further. He crossed paths with a young man called Nathan who Charon soon discovered was the man responsible for the windmills.

He was interested in searching for other possible sources of power and came up with a plan to use the power of the super volcano, Stark Mountain, to generate electricity. There was a problem with that idea though – Stark Mountain's power came from the legendary Pokemon, Heatran that lived inside. To generate power from the volcano, the Heatran had to be captured or controlled. It was an idea that could make someone so powerful Charon was keen to see if his ideas could be turned into a reality. He'd never have to a work a day in his life again. Not only that, but he'd have the power of a super volcano at his fingertips and he could use that power to destroy anything… such as Giratina.

Charon stole his blueprints, redid them in his own notes then destroyed the original copy. It wasn't long until Nathan figured out his blueprints were stolen and came searching for Charon. Charon simply told the man his blueprints were all wrong and that he could do better, but promised he would give him more than a fair share of his profits should the idea become a success. Nathan agreed, drawn to the idea of making even more money. Charon never saw him again – he eventually discovered Nathan had met an untimely end at the hands of his wife who poisoned them both.

Not that Charon cared; it made things so much easier for him. He didn't have to worry about sharing his profits with anyone else now should he turn his goal into a reality. Joining Team Galactic gave him the chance – it gave him access to advanced technology he hadn't seen anywhere else. Here it was possible to develop the Magma Stone to control Heatran. It had taken him a few months, but he had successfully managed to create one. Unfortunately, Cyrus had found it, and had it locked up in a safe only he could open, claiming it was a distraction to their ultimate plan. Charon wasn't too concerned – he knew there'd be a time he'd reclaim what was his, and that time was fast approaching. After finding out Cyrus was Nathan's heir, he had put a plan into motion, to ensure his plans would not fail.

Cyrus would have his role to play: open the rift to Distortion World to free Giratina. When Giratina was released, and Cyrus was slain, Charon could use the power of Heatran to slay the legendary, and avenge his fallen friend. All he had to do was nudge Cyrus in the right direction which was almost an effortless task. The stupid young fool had a mind that was easy to manipulate. He wanted to erase spirit and Charon convinced him he could if he followed his ideas. With a mind scarred by his upbringing, Cyrus fully believed in Charon's visions, believing it would fix everything.

Of course, creating a new universe was impossible – Giratina would never allow it for starters. But it would be fun watching him try only to fail in the end. Giratina could kill the fool, and then with the powers of Heatran and the Magma Stone, Charon would slay the great beast. There was one problem that posed a threat to his plans. He hadn't expected Cyrus would find a woman to bring his child into the world. She, Dawn, was a problem. If names meant anything at all then Dawn, whose name was often associated with light and birth, could ruin everything he had worked hard to create if she continued to meddle in their affairs. Even if she were just a child, she was a danger and had to be put down.

It was time to try and convince Mars to work for him again.


	13. Now or Never

Another chapter reuploaded!

 **.**

 **Chapter Twelve: Now or Never**

As usual, Jubilife was bustling with activity. Clowns were pacing back and forth in their designated areas, handing out freebies to anyone who could spare a second, while kids sprinted up and down much to the despair of their parents. Barry was half-tempted to run with them, but he was now so worn out from his run back to Jubilife, he could feel the burn in his legs. What he wouldn't give for a Pokemon that could carry him to his next destination. His Staravia could fly, but he couldn't carry them both. He could be back in Hearthome, challenging the gym leader for his badge right now instead of being here.

Dawn was probably leagues ahead of him now which meant he had a lot of catching up to do if he wanted to reach the league before her. The thought of being behind was upsetting – he was older than her by a few months and he was the guy. His masculinity was at stake here. Dawn might be his best friend and all, but getting upstaged by a female was embarrassing for any male.

He stopped temporarily to catch some air. His lungs were stinging now and his heart was pounding, it almost sounded a bit like a fast disco beat. Placing his hands on his knees, he bent down and did a couple of stretches, to relax his muscles and lessen the chances of developing strain in the future. Temporarily unaware of his surroundings, Barry almost stumbled over when he felt a tap on his back. He jumped and turned around, his gaze falling on a clown.

"Sorry trainer, I didn't mean to scare you, but I thought you might like a free gift from the Poketch Company! You do have a Poketch, right?"

Barry nodded. He remembered running into a clown earlier on in his journey and giving the poor guy a bruised backside. He had yet to use the device since he wasn't quite sure what it was used for, but he pulled it out anyway and gave it to the clown. "What's a Poketch used for anyway?" As far as he was concerned, it just looked like a cheap copy of a Pokedex.

"Social networking of course! And not only that, it can store data for you! You will never miss an important date again!"

Barry raised a brow and scratched his head, wondering what this social networking thing was all about. He had come across the term while browsing the internet, but he had never actually looked into it. It didn't sound like it had anything to do with Pokemon though so he didn't see the point. "What's that?"

The clown's jaw dropped. "All the trainers are using it! All you have to do is open the PokeNetworking App and register for a free account! You can share your progress with other trainers you befriend from around the world! Take photos of your Pokemon and upload them to your account! Keep track of the progress of your friends and loved ones wherever you are!" The clown turned on Barry's Poketch and opened the app.

"Oh, that sounds cool!" Barry exclaimed. It was like a public journal for selected friends to follow. "How do I make an account?"

"You just have to enter your name here and type in your trainer ID card number. You'll be logged in automatically every time you open the app," the clown explained. "Be sure to support our company by liking our page!"

Barry took the device away and put it into his bag. He'd look into it later when he had some leisure time, but right now he really had to get back to Hearthome. He thanked the clown and rushed away before the clown could speak again. His first stop was the Poke Mart. They sold energy drinks for trainers. He grabbed three (grape, lime and orange flavoured), hurried over to the counter to pay then exited the shop, almost barrelling over a mother. She said a few words, but he was long gone by that point.

"Hey, give me back my Pokedex!"

Barry stopped halfway up the street. It sounded like someone was in trouble? He glanced in the direction of the gate, debating with himself whether or not to continue on, but found his legs wouldn't move in that direction. He had to know what was going on. Every second counted, but that person could be in real trouble. He followed the source of the voice which led him down a dark alleyway. Up ahead, he could see three males. Two of them had the other male cornered. Barry hurried towards them. He was close enough to recognize that one of three boys was Lucas.

"Where did you get this Pokedex from? Your little sister?"

Lucas lunged forward, trying to grab his pink Pokedex from his tormentors, but they were taller than him. The boy holding the Pokedex simply held it up even higher, well without Lucas' reach. Both males were dressed in the typical starting out trainer male gear available at all clothing stores – bright yellow shirt and brown-coloured board shorts. "Don't be a thief!"

"Don't cry, we promise we won't damage it… much," the guy holding the Pokedex sneered.

Lucas spat at the boy's feet, earning him a punch in the stomach from the other guy. He bent over, clutching his injured stomach with one arm, while holding his other arm out to defend himself. Barry had enough. He threw a pokeball, summoning his newly evolved Monferno to the battle field. His monkey dashed forward then jumped, hurling himself at the Pokedex guy and grabbed hold of the guy's hair.

"What the… Bryan! What are you doing? Get this monkey off my head!" he screamed, desperately trying to knock the monkey off his head, trying not to get his hands burned in the process. In his panic, he dropped the Pokedex onto the floor. Lucas bent over and picked it up.

Eventually, Monferno jumped off the bully's head, landing on the ground. Barry walked up behind his Monferno and glared at them. "I can't believe they allow people like you to become trainers."

The boy called Bryan bared his teeth and hissed. "This isn't over!" He turned to Lucas, his glare intensifying. "You should thank your boyfriend for coming to your defence. Let's get out of here, Mike!" The two boys ran away leaving Barry alone with Lucas. The last time they had met hadn't exactly left Barry with a warm impression of the Rowan's assistant. It was like he resented them for some reason, but right now, he looked extremely relieved Barry was there.

"I guess I owe you an apology," Lucas said, examining his Pokedex for damages. He seemed satisfied with it and tucked it away in his bag then turned to look at Barry again. "Thanks, Barry, I mean it."

Barry shrugged. "It wasn't right what they were doing."

Lucas glanced down at his feet, looking uncomfortable all of a sudden. "I was wrong about you… and Dawn." He tilted his chin up. "I thought you two were going to be awful trainers."

"Well, you were wrong."

Lucas gave a sheepish grin. "Truce?" he said, holding out his hand in a gesture of friendship. Barry took it. Perhaps Lucas wasn't a bad kid after all. "We should return to the Pokemon Centre. I promised the professor I'd play a game of chess with him."

Barry wasn't even going to ask. Chess? Seriously? He followed Lucas towards the Pokemon Centre, but didn't even manage to set a foot inside when the professor burst through the doors, looking like he had just seen a ghost. "Lucas! Barry! Perfect timing! We need to leave now!"

"What's going on, professor?" Lucas said.

"Dawn has been hospitalized in Hearthome City!"

Barry's eyes widened. Hospitalized? His heart race quickened. Had someone attacked Dawn unexpectedly? All thoughts of competing against his childhood friend faded from his mind. Now he felt guilty considering Dawn was in bad health. The professor summoned a trio of Staravia's. The Staravia lowered itself to the ground prompting Barry to climb on the avian's back. Professor Rowan whistled and the birds lifted up into the air, flying their passengers towards their destination.

.

Roark was still reeling from the loss to Dawn even though it had happened a few weeks ago. She had destroyed his team with little effort, and he had been bitterly reminded of his defeat to that bastard, Riley. He could just see his father apologizing that it had been wrong to give him the role of a gym leader. A hot flood of emotion poured through him. He ordered his Onix to smash up another boulder.

"Uh, hello?"

He stopped, turned around and spotted Gardenia standing a few feet away from him, hands resting at her sides, not a single hair out of place. He realized then he must've looked a little rough in comparison – his clothes were covered in dust and he was sure there was mud smeared across his face _. Great,_ he thought bitterly. What a way to leave a good impression.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Shaking his head, he said, "No. Not at all." Why was Gardenia here? Had she come to rub her victory in his face?

"Roark, I wanted to talk to you about something. You've been avoiding me, and I don't know why. Please, talk to me," she said, moving in towards him. She didn't stand right next to him though; probably didn't want her clean clothes to be covered in dirt.

"I didn't think you wanted to see me again. You defeated me," Roark pointed out, knowing it was a lame excuse. No wonder his father thought he wasn't ready to become a gym leader. "I'm not good enough to be your friend," he added lamely.

Her fingers brushed up against his arm, sending a shudder running down his spine. "Is that what you're concerned about? Roark! You know that doesn't mean anything to me. I just want to be your friend, but you keep shutting me out."

"And that's what you told Riley!" he blurted out, unable to stop himself. "But I saw you with him during my birthday party two months ago. You were supposed to be happy for me, but instead you were with him. Don't think I didn't see you two laughing at me the entire time," he accused. Gardenia recoiled, as if she had been slapped in the face. "You defeated me during a battle and that hurt, but I got over that. What hurt most was you being with him! You know I hate that Riley kid."

She looked at him with an expression he couldn't fathom –sadness, pain, uncertainty, concern, guilt– they all seemed to be there in the depths of her eyes. She looked away again, and he couldn't help but feel he had crushed her spirit. "I didn't know you felt that way," she murmured.

He felt an unpleasant sensation curling in the pit of her stomach. "You're just like my father. You both think Riley is better than me, but you don't want to say it to my face." Inhaling a sharp breath, he turned away, ordering his Onix to attack a boulder again. Onix seemed hesitant, but he did as asked and smashed it, causing Gardenia to release a shrill cry. Glancing over his shoulder again, he cast a dark look in her direction, hoping she could see it in his eyes the hurt he felt. "I thought you were my friend, Gardenia."

"Roark… I don't even like Riley! You're the one that I like."

He froze, feeling blood drain from his face at the mention of her words. "What?" Onix ceased his boulder-smashing activities and looked at his master. "What was that?"

"Riley and I were talking about you! He was telling me how you deserved to be the gym leader, and I agreed with him! We both agreed that you were a great trainer. We weren't laughing at you." She stepped towards him again, reaching out to touch him. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, really I am, but I didn't realize it. You know I would never go out of my way to hurt someone on purpose," she added, her voice lowering to a whisper.

He felt like a world's greatest jerk now. Arceus' breath, he was probably more of a jerk than Blue, the king of all jerks. He struggled to find the right words to say, to tell her that everything was going to be all right, but that would be telling a lie. "Just… I don't want to talk about, Gardenia. Please, leave."

Gardenia nodded, eyes lowered to the ground. "I'll call you later," she said, then turned to exit.

 _Damn Riley,_ thought Roark.

.

Barry hopped off the Staravia's back before it even landed on the ground and sprinted towards the front of the Pokemon Centre. He could hear Professor Rowan and Lucas telling him to slow down, but Barry didn't care. His greatest rival and closest friend was lying on a bed and there was nothing he could to do help.

He rushed over to the counter, placed his fists on the surface and yelled into the nurse's face. "Where is she?"

The nurse frowned. "Who are you looking for?"

"Dawn!" he blurted.

"Ward twenty-seven a."

He nodded, pulled away from the counter and immediately started storming off towards the ward. The nurse rushed out from behind and blocked his path. She placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't allow you to enter. No visitors allowed." She pointed to a couple of chairs in the lobby area. "You may sit down though."

Barry tried to argue back, but words failed him. Instead of sitting down, he ran outside and urged Professor Rowan to 'hurry up'. The professor walked as fast as his legs would carry him, Lucas right at his side, supporting the old man. Barry grabbed Professor Rowan's arm and dragged him towards the counter. "This is Professor Rowan! Dawn is a friend of ours! Tell her, professor!"

"Professor Rowan?" the woman replied, a tinge of red appearing on her cheeks. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't realize you were a friend of the patient's. Please, follow me." Professor Rowan thanked her and followed the nurse into a hallway. Barry and Lucas stuck close to the professor's side, just encase the lady decided to push them away, but she let them proceed. Professor Rowan was more famous than he had thought.

Pokemon Centres were depressing places, Barry thought, as they strolled past a room. A nurse was consoling a woman who looked torn between grief and horror. Another doctor joined the duo to pass information onto the woman. It didn't appear to be good news. Barry tore his gaze away. He had never imagined he'd be here at the Pokemon Centre other than for healing his Pokemon. The nurse stopped in front of a room, said her goodbyes and walked away. There a couple of seats stationed outside, but Barry didn't feel like sitting.

Johanna stepped out of a room. Her eyes were red, her cheeks swollen, both clear signs she had been crying for a couple of hours or more. "Professor Rowan?" she said softly. The professor didn't say a word as Johanna rushed over, throwing her arms around his shoulders. "It's my entire fault!" she sobbed, crying into his left shoulder.

Professor Rowan patted her back then pulled back, looking down into her eyes. "Tell me what happened." He led her to the chairs and sat her down. Reaching down into a pocket, he pulled out a packet of tissues and gave them to the weeping mother.

"She was attacked!" Johanna sobbed, as she tried to open the packet with trembling hands. "Her Pokemon," she added, drawing in a sharp breath, trying to calm her sobs down, "attacked her!" Finally, she managed to tear open the packet.

Barry stood up, alarmed. "Her Pokemon attacked her?" He looked to the professor for answers. The professor seemed equally as shocked by the news. "Pokemon don't turn on their trainers," Barry added. "I learned that at trainer's school." Lesson one: Pokemon can be ordered to attack a trainer at the will of their master, but a Pokemon will never attack their own master, even if under the effects of confusion.

"I have not heard of such an incident before…" the professor murmured.

"I should never have allowed Dawn to go on her journey!" Johanna wailed, in between sobs. "What kind of a mother am I?"

The professor grabbed one of her hands. "This is not your fault, Johanna. Do not blame yourself for something you had no control over." He picked up one of the tissues and wiped a couple of tears away from her eyes. "You need to be strong for your daughter." He turned to Lucas. "Lucas, there is a coffee vending machine in next aisle. Can you please get us black some coffee?"

"Sure thing, professor."

"Barry, help Lucas."

Barry wanted to stay, but there wasn't much he could do to comfort in these sorts of situations. He stood up and followed Lucas towards the coffee vending machine area. "Do you think it's possible a Pokemon could turn on its trainer?" he said.

Lucas shrugged. "It's unheard of." He turned down into the opposite aisle where they found a coffee vending machine in between two pot plants. He drew out a couple of notes from his pocket and inserted five dollars into the slot. The machine whirred to life as it created the coffee while the two boys waited. "How are you feeling?"

He was having a difficult time trying to assess how he was feeling. There was anger at Dawn's Pokemon for attacking their master, but also shock and sadness that something like that could happen to his best friend. "A mixture of things," Barry admitted, bending down to remove the first coffee from the machine. "I don't know what I should be feeling… Should I be sad? Angry? Confused?"

Lucas inserted another five dollar note into the machine and pressed the same button again. "Just don't bottle it up inside." He bent down to remove the second coffee. "Let's head back."

.

Upon their return, Barry spotted a lady dressed in a purple ball gown having a conversation with the professor. She had a thick white bandage wrapped around a hand, making it look quite odd in comparison to her attire. _Did someone get lost on their way to the fancy dress party?_ Barry thought, doing his best not to spill the coffee onto the floor or onto himself. Being on the receiving end of spilled burning hot coffee wasn't a pleasurable experience to have.

"Here's your coffee, professor," Lucas said, giving his cup to Professor Rowan, as Barry handed his one over to Dawn's mother. She offered him a faint smile, as if seeing him for the first time in her life.

The other lady regarded him coolly then spoke. "I am Fantina, the gym leader of this town. It was I who brought Dawn here."

"I want to see my friend," Barry said.

Fantina shook her head. "I would advise against it. Your friend is not in good shape."

Barry sat down. Normally, family and friends of the patient were allowed to visit during certain times, but if he was being advised against it… it must be a serious case. For once in his life, he didn't care about obtaining gym badges and proving himself better than anyone else. Dawn needed his support. Dawn needed everyone's support to help her overcome this.

"What did you see, Fantina?" Johanna said softly.

"I was able to detect a darkness coming from Dawn when I first battled her," Fantina said slowly. "At first I thought it was coming from her, but after this incident, I realize now that darkness belonged to her Deino. The bond between a Pokemon and its trainer is a powerful one that sometimes a Pokemon's feelings can be misinterpreted as the owner's."

Barry frowned. He was having trouble trying to follow. Was the lady saying that a Pokemon could corrupt its master? Wasn't it usually the other way around? Pokemon turned evil as a result of poor treatment from their masters. "Are you saying her Deino is evil?"

Fantina shook her head again. "Deino are native to Unova, so Dawn must've traded earlier on to receive one. There is only one trainer I know of who trades Deino's for Pokemon. He calls himself Ghetsis."

"You think this man was responsible for what happened Dawn?" the professor said.

Fantina nodded. "Criminal activity can happen anywhere and sadly it is occurring through the trading system. There are no restrictions on what Pokemon you can trade – stolen Pokemon, drugged Pokemon… you name it. Unfortunately, it's hard to keep track of trainers abusing the system – once the Pokemon is gone, the police lose their proof."

"Can't you follow the ID number?"

"It's not so simple. Trainers in the business of exchanging illegal Pokemon are often quite intelligent and cover up their tracks with fake ID numbers," Fantina replied. "Ghetsis is a criminal the authorities in Unova have been tracking for a long time, but so far he's always managed to be one step ahead. I believe he's been giving his Deinos a powerful and illegal drug to force his Pokemon to level up quicker than normal, but it comes at a cost. The drugs mess with the Pokemon's behaviour thus resulting in attacks against its master. That is what happened with Dawn. She knew nothing about Ghetsis and unfortunately became entangled in his schemes."

"Well, can't she just store her Pokemon in the storage box?" Lucas suggested. "She won't have to use it anymore and therefore won't be at a risk of getting attacked again."

Professor Rowan nodded his head in agreement. "It is a plausible option to take. If Dawn continues to keep this Deino at her side, a far more serious attack could happen and there might not be anyone around to help her."

Barry shook his head. "You can't just give up on your Pokemon!" That would be like a parent giving up on their child because they failed a course at school.

"Storing Deino is not an action I would recommend," Fantina said. "It may free itself from its ball and attack the other Pokemon. There's only one option to take and that's to put Deino down."

Lucas parted his lips and looked at the gym leader in horror. "Put the Pokemon down?"

"I'm afraid there is no other option to take. Deino has been given illegal drugs from birth. Dawn's Deino will never behave like a normal Deino will. Her Deino can't be trusted," Fantina replied. Her expression softened. "I wish we had another option to take, but we must do what it is best for Dawn's safety. Would you willingly place your best friend in danger?"

"No, but-"

"Then it's settled. Deino will be put down."

"You can't put Deino down!" Barry said in distress, rising to his feet, not caring his voice could be heard throughout the building. "Dawn should be the one to decide! It's her Pokemon and therefore it should be her choice!" he argued. The people around him claimed they wanted what was best for Dawn, but only Dawn could decide that.

"Deino is a danger to himself and those around him," Fantina said calmly.

Barry turned to Lucas for support on the matter. The boy was biting his lip and pulling at his earlobe – sure fire signs of stress. "What do you say, Lucas?" Lucas looked at Barry and opened his words, but not words came out. It was as if something had gotten stuck in his throat preventing him making an audible noise. Either that or he didn't feel comfortable sharing his opinion encase Barry attacked him.

Professor Rowan laid a hand on Barry's shoulder. "You are looking out for your friend, but there is a bigger picture here."

Barry pulled away, eyes flashing. "You're acting like she's incapable of making a choice! I've known Dawn since we were kids! I know she'd say no to putting Deino down! She won't abandon him!" Only trainers with no heart would turn their back on a beloved companion. Anger was one of those emotions he didn't experience on a regular basis – often he was too busy rushing to worry about being angry about something.

"He's right," Lucas said after a few beats of silence. "It's Dawn's choice. She was the one who was attacked – who are we to take that decision away from her?" He met Barry's gaze and tilted his head down slightly. Barry smiled. He knew someone would have to see things from his perspective. The adults needed to stop being selfish. "Speaking of Dawn, what's happening with her? Who are we waiting for?"

Everyone turned to look at the professor. He had been the one to receive the phone call after all. He cleared his throat. "Dawn needs a blood transfusion unfortunately she has a rare blood type. The doctors are hoping her father shares the same type."

A blood transfusion? It was so much more serious than Barry had thought, but it didn't change his mind. Deino should not be put down. "Her father? Isn't he dead?" He didn't get a reply. Professor Rowan was looking at the opposite end of the hall. Barry turned his head. There was a guy standing at the far end, dressed in a uniform of some sort, looking like he wanted to be somewhere else than here. Barry narrowed his eyes. He had seen this guy before at Lake Verity on the day he received his Chimchar. "That's her father?"

He turned to the professor again. The professor didn't seem surprised at all. In fact, he was wearing a grim smile, like he wasn't pleased to see this man here in the Pokemon Centre. Professor Rowan nodded. "Yes."

Barry spoke no further. There wasn't much else he could add to the conversation since he knew nothing about Dawn's father, other than he was alive and supposedly a decent trainer. It wasn't his place to ask, but he couldn't help but wonder why the man had abandoned Dawn and her mother twelve years ago. He looked at Lucas. Lucas shrugged. He was just as clueless as Barry it seemed.

"Rowan," Dawn's father said, glancing down at the shorter man, wearing a blank expression.

"Cyrus," Professor Rowan said tersely.

Barry didn't take much notice of it before, but Dawn's father had a regal bearing to him. Perhaps it was the way he carried himself, back straight, shoulders pinned back slightly, that emitted a confident aura or perhaps it was just his imposing stature that added to that regal feel. Barry was in awe.

His thoughts were broken when Johanna exited Dawn's room. As soon as her eyes landed on the new guy, a relieved smile spread across her face. She ran over to him, seemed to consider giving him a hug, but decided against it at the last moment. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room without saying a word to anyone else. The door closed behind them.

"What was that about?" Lucas said.

"Dawn's going to be so happy to see him when she wakes up," Barry said. Professor Rowan didn't seem to share his joy. In fact, he seemed unsettled. Barry could tell because the professor kept playing the tie hanging down from his neck. His other hand fiddled with his moustache. "Professor?" Barry said, breaking the man out of his thoughts. "You've known all along, haven't you? About Dawn's father?"

The professor glanced down at Barry and sighed. "Yes."

"And you never told her?" Lucas added.

"It wasn't my place to."

Fantina didn't say a word. She was looking at the door, brows furrowed in concentration. Was she worried about the transfusion or about something else? Did she know details about Cyrus as well? She seemed alert, as if something had spooked her, and Barry wondered if it had something to do with Cyrus's appearance. "…like moths drawn to a flame…" she murmured.

He sat down, his shoulders slumped, eyes listlessly gazing down at the floor. A couple of nurses hurried into the room. Did Dawn know what was happening around her? Was she afraid? Worried perhaps? He pressed his palms together and was surprised to find they were moist. He pressed his hands against his pants to dry them, but they didn't stay that way for very long. Sweaty palms. Gross.

He excused himself from the group and walked further down the aisle, looking for a bathroom to wash his hands. Fortunately, there was one just around the corner. He went in, walked over to a sink and turned it on, running his hands under the cool liquid until they felt fresh again. He looked in the mirror. A concerned face looked back at him. He could hardly recognize himself. Running his hands under the water again, he brought them together forming a bowl then splashed the liquid over his face. It brought him temporary relief.

Would Dawn survive this?


	14. Image of Hope

Thanks to Eevee101 for reviewing the previous chapter!

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 **Chapter Thirteen: Image of Hope**

She was trembling, not from the cold since Veilstone was quiet warm, but rather with anger. She felt like she had received a slap in the face and a punch in the stomach. The boss acted like he cared about her, but he didn't. Now her boss was sending her on some dangerous mission to catch a Lake Guardian. We're going to use a bomb to draw the Pokemon out, he said, like it was an easy task to do.

A bomb? Bombs exploded. Bombs caused destruction. Buildings fell apart and people died as a result of bombs going off. Did the boss value her life that little he was happy enough to send her away to place herself at risk of death? What if the bomb went off before she could get away? Instead of finding a Lake Guardian, the local authorities would find her dead body instead.

She didn't leave the hallway. Instead, she pressed her body up against the boss's door trying to eavesdrop. He was on the phone talking to someone. She caught the words, 'Hearthome, Pokemon Centre' and 'I'll be there soon'. Whoever it was, it must be someone with some importance to convince the boss to come all the way to the other side of the region again. Dawn? Dawn's mother? Her fingers curled the hemline of her dress at the thought.

"You've figured it out, haven't you?" A voice said behind her. Mars pulled away from the door, jerking her head towards the source of the voice. She was not surprised to see Charon standing there wearing a smug expression.

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Charon with distaste. "So what if I have?"

Charon stepped towards her. Mars tried stepping away, but her back was already up against the door. Her muscles tensed. "Didn't I tell you this was going to happen?"

She took in a deep mouthful of air. He took another step towards her, closing the distance between them. He was now an arm's length away. "I was wrong and you were right. Is that what you want to hear?" she retorted, trying to keep her voice steady, but she couldn't conceal the irritation in her tone.

"I want you to be happy, Mars. I only what what's best for you. What's best for _us_."

"If you cared about me, you would've told me about the boss and his secret _girlfriend_ a long while ago," she hissed. Somehow 'boss' and 'girlfriend' didn't feel right. If she didn't know the truth, she would've laughed about it. It sounded like a joke.

Charon chuckled. "You would never have believed me." He took a step closer, so close Mars could feel his hot breath washing over her face. It wasn't cold, but she shivered. "I need your assistance, Mars. You and Jupiter are the only two I can trust." He reached out to grab her arm. She flinched at his touch. "You don't need to be afraid, Mars. I'm here to help you."

She looked into his eyes, trying to read his thoughts. It was often said you could tell a lot by a person by reading their eyes. "I've heard those words before and they turned out to be nothing more than a lie. What makes you think I can trust you?" Her voice trembled.

He brought his face close to her ear and whispered. "I have no reason to lie to you." He pulled away, brown eyes looking back into hers, watching her reaction closely. "I know he hurt you – I'm giving you a chance to fight back."

A chance to fight back, to make him feel the way she did. But did their boss even care about anything? Half the time she wasn't sure. "You want me to hurt him, fine, but how? It's hard to break down that invisible wall he's built up around him."

"I need you to carry out the task he's given you, but you'll need to work for me as well." Charon brought a hand to her face, placing a finger underneath her chin, tilting it upwards gently. "I suspect he wants you to locate one of the Lake Guardians, am I right?" She nodded. "Mesprit, yes?"

"Yes." She didn't even bother asking why he knew that. Charon had been around much longer than she had; he probably knew about the Lake Guardians long before anyone else did.

Charon trailed his finger down her chin, her throat, stopping at the top of her sternum. "Legends often state Mesprit erases the emotions of the one who touches it, and our boss's ultimate goal is to remove the world of emotion."

Mars's eyes widened. That was the boss' goal? Remove the world of emotion and spirit? What was the point in that? What benefit did he hope to gain from removing the very thing that gave life meaning? "What?" she gasped, trying to wrap her head around such a bizarre course of action. It didn't make any sense.

Charon moved his finger away. "He believes the legends, but the legends are just stories."

Mars touched the spot Charon had his finger on. It was wrong; he was twice her age, but his touch conjured feelings in her she never thought she'd experience. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled, dropping her hand at her side. "Just stories?"

"Mesprit will have the reverse effect. The Lake Guardian will not remove emotions, but rather will only make feelings stronger. Think about it, Mars. The Lake Guardians are legendary Pokemon and we know legendaries do not like being trifled with. They respond to trainers with pure hearts, not to those with tainted or impure hearts. If you were Mesprit, how would you react if some fool was trying to capture you? Wouldn't you like to punish them?"

This was a lot of information to absorb. "So you're saying Mesprit can punish?"

Charon smiled slightly. "Cyrus wants to remove emotions, right? Wouldn't it be amusing to do the reverse of what the legends claim you do? Why would Mesprit grant a trainer like Cyrus what he wants?" He started pacing back and forth, keeping his voice low, as he spoke. "Do what Cyrus orders you and capture Mesprit. The bomb squad will come with you, but you'll have to be the one to inject the Mesprit with this." He reached down into his pocket pulling out a needle. "You'll have to be quick."

She took it. The injection was at least eight inches long. Just the thought of having that enter her flesh made her skin crawl. Ouch. But she wasn't on the receiving end so it didn't matter. The Pokemon needed to feel pain. Cyrus himself needed to suffer and what better way to make it happen than deny him what he wanted? The right corner of her mouth curved upwards into a sinister smirk. "Sounds like a plan I'm willing to be a part of, but what if he finds out?"

"He won't."

The door opened and the boss stepped through, stopping abruptly when he noticed Charon and Mars blocking the hallway. His eyes moved to Mars, to Charon then back to Mars again, demanding an explanation. "Mars, you have a task to complete." Mars nodded. "Charon, I need you to watch the place during my temporary absence. Tell Jupiter she needs to leave now otherwise I'm sending you in her place."

Charon bowed. "Yes, boss."

Cyrus pushed past Mars and Charon, making quick strides down the hallway. Whoever had called him on the Xtransceiver must've been important to make him move that quick. An idea formed in her mind, as she watched him head towards the steps. He was going to Hearthome City. She had a mission at Lake Verity. Hearthome City was the halfway point. There'd be no harm in spending a bit of time in Hearthome while the bomb squad prepared themselves for the task. This could be her only chance to catch a glimpse of the mysterious woman on the other end. If she was lucky, she might even get a chance to beat that stupid girl Dawn.

"No one makes a fool of me…" she murmured, curling her fingers into fists, as she followed the boss from a distance. She couldn't leave the building right away obviously – the boss would notice her following him. She had to be discreet and that mean changing out of her uniform into something not so eye-catching. Veilstone City had quite a number of clothes shops. Most of the attire here was designed for the party lifestyle, but there were some shops that sold casual wear.

She waited for a few moments until she was sure Cyrus had reached the bottom then she made her way down. "Commander Mars!" One of the grunts said, running over to greet the commander. Mars stopped, suppressed a growl then turned around to face the grunt. "We are to accompany you to Lake Verity!"

Right. Of course. The bomb squad. She couldn't have them following her to Hearthome City to spy on the boss. They'd probably tell Cyrus she was snooping and then who knows what would happen? "Meet me there at Lake Verity."

The grunt looked at her blankly.

"You do know where Lake Verity is right?"

The grunt nodded. "Yes, commander. But the boss said you'd be coming with us."

Mars placed a hand on her hip and glared. "You are under _my_ charge. You answer to _me._ You _will_ wait for me at the lake."

The grunt nodded again, his brows furrowed in thought. "Yes, commander." He turned away and retreated to the lounge. Mars shook her head. For her sake, she hoped the grunt wasn't lying when he said he knew the way to Lake Verity otherwise the plans involving Mesprit would not happen. Shaking her head, she exited the building, turning a sharp right towards the shopping mall.

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She stood in front of her full-length mirror, admiring the image staring back at her. Tonight was going to be a huge night and she wanted to make sure she looked her best to impress. The local people of Veilstone often viewed her as the tomboy type since she enjoyed boxing, but she wanted to show her critics she could be elegant as well.

She was currently wearing a strapless peach-coloured maxi dress. It wasn't her preferred choice of colour, but the shop didn't have anything else on offer since they were out of stock at the moment. The lady had given her a discount as a form of apology and had given her a hair and makeup appointment for free. There weren't many moments when she dressed up, but tonight just felt like the right time.

Besides, it wasn't like she had anything else to do. The gym was quiet – they hadn't had a decent challenger in months and she was starved of entertainment. Playing with the slot machines and drinking with friends got boring after awhile, especially when friends were ill company. That was the problem of living in Sinnoh's nightlife city – there was so much to do here a trainer could easily spend a year just having fun.

Jubilife was the region's busiest capital and also the most populated, but it was a place for business. Veilstone on the other hand, was a party town. During the day, the city was mostly quiet. There wasn't much to do throughout the day other than browse aisles and shop. But at night, it was a completely different place. The streetlights turned, and each bulb was a different colour of the rainbow, giving the city a real joyous atmosphere.

The big attraction of Veilstone was its casino. It was four floors high and catered for every adult's need for night life entertainment. There was a bar and restaurant on the bottom floor while the slot machines, blackjack and roulette tables were on the second floor. Both floors were accessible to visitors all day long. The other two floors opened at night and were strictly for adults only. A dance floor and stage area was hosted on the third floor with a bar while the top floor was for those interested in watching exotic dancers perform on stage in minimal or no clothing at all while receiving drinks from the bar.

She never visited that floor for obvious reasons, but she knew some of the male gym leaders visited from time to time. Volkner was such a man and she hoped to casually 'bump' into him tonight. The word was the electric-type trainer of Sunyshore was bored with his job. The lack of good challengers was his reason – the guy was actually contemplating resigning from his role as gym leader because of his boredom. He couldn't leave just yet though as he still had six months left in his contract. The guy kept himself amused by turning the power off in the city when he was in one of his moods.

There was a hard knock on her door. "Maylene, are you sure this is a good idea? Those freaks with the weird bowl haircuts are going to be there tonight you know. I don't trust them and neither should you," said a voice belonging to Darren, her eldest trainer. The boy had just turned nineteen three days ago, making him a year older than herself.

"I'm not worried, Darren," Maylene replied, carefully putting on a gold hoop earring into the hole on her left earlobe. The trainers with the bad haircuts were not new to the neighbourhood. They had been living in the massive five storey building on the cliff top of the north-eastern corner of the city for a couple of years now, but only recently had there been any signs of activity. Maylene caught a glimpse of them from time to time, but she never gave them much attention and they didn't bother her.

"I'm worried about you, Maylene. I've been hearing bad things about them."

Maylene looked in the mirror again and did a twirl, making sure her rear end did not look out of proportion. She studied herself for a couple of moments then walked away from the mirror to grab her heels resting by the bottom of the bed. Walking in heels was going to be a challenge since she never wore them. Being a gym leader of fighting-types wasn't a heel friendly occupation. She slipped her feet into a pair of pointed high heels, wincing at the unfamiliar discomfort, as her toes were crushed together. She adjusted the strap so it didn't feel loose.

Slowly, she took a step forwards, stretching her arms to the sides to keep her balance, silently preying to Arceus she wouldn't topple over and break a leg. These heels were dangerous for the untrained! She took another step, berating herself for not having done a practice run earlier in the week. Her feet were going to be in pain tomorrow. Again, she took another baby step. What had the woman said? Don't think about it. Just walk like normal.

It was hard not to concentrate on her feet though. The heels were at least two inches high. If her heels managed to get caught on something… A visible shudder raced down her spine. Don't think bad thoughts, she told herself. She moved forward, keeping her eyes focused on the door and not at the ground. Somehow, she made it to the end without falling over. She curled her fingers around the door knob and opened it.

Darren was dressed in his white fighting robes and wore the red headband wrapped around his forehead, which assisted in keeping his black locks from sticking to his forehead. All trainers studying under her were required to wear the garbs as they granted more freedom than the usual standard clothing. He was panting, and his forehead was dripping with sweat, an obvious sign he had been practicing. "They call themselves Galactic and- Wow, Maylene! You look beautiful!" He smiled.

She smiled back, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. She wasn't used to being on the receiving end of those comments – usually, people said, 'you lack the chest to wear a nice dress', whatever the hell that meant. "Thanks, Darren."

"Do you need any help? Those heels look uncomfortable."

She shook her head. "I'll manage, but thanks anyway." She shuffled forward, exiting her room and stepped into the main gym area. There were four boxing rings in the centre of the room and a trainer had to go through each one and beat their opponent before advancing to the gym leader. Reaching each ring wasn't so simple though – punching bags and stacked tyres blocked the way. A trainer had to climb over tyres and punch bags to free passageways. It was a test to determine whether or not a trainer had the physical strength to overcome tough challenges life presented.

The other three boys, Jeffery, Rafael and Colby, were absent. Usually, she could hear the boys lifting weights in the weights room. "Where are your brothers?"

"They will be watching the fighting tournament in the lounging area. Brawly's Hariyama is battling Chuck's Hitmonchan in an hour's time and then Marshal will be having an Elite Four showdown with Bruno. Marshal will be using his Lucario to battle against Bruno's Lucario."

Maylene raised her eyebrows. "A Lucario showdown then. I kinda wish I was competing." The annual fighting tournament took place in a different region each year. This year it was being held in Unova in Driftveil City. Maylene had received an invitation, but had decided not to compete to spend more time training her Pokemon. "Oh well, there's always next year anyway." They continued walking until they reached the front entrance of the dojo. Darren pulled the door open and Maylene carefully stepped down on the first step. She turned to look up at him. "I'll be back sometime later in the night. If you need any food, there's money on in the split punching bag. Just order in pizza. Take care!" She waved. Darren nodded and waved back.

The door closed behind her. She flattened her dress, took in a deep breath then exhaled. Time to enjoy the nightlife Veilstone City had to offer.

.

A couple of hours had passed since the transfusion, and Cyrus found himself in his own room, watched over by a couple of nurses. He insisted on leaving immediately, but the nurses forced him down, claiming that he needed to spend the night here to make sure everything was all right. He didn't have time. He needed to be back at the Galactic Headquarters making preparations for the capture of the three Lake Guardians. Instead, he was here lying down on a bed with a hard mattress with nothing else to do but reflect on the past.

The nurse had left him a couple of snacks and a couple glasses of water for him to have. A fair amount of blood had been given and the nurse insisted he needed to eat, drink and rest to recover. He wasn't going to be going anywhere for awhile, at least not until tomorrow. There was nothing to do in this room, no television to watch, no books to read, nothing.

"I'm going to leave you now, but if you need me, just press the red button next to your bed and I will come," the nurse lady said.

Cyrus didn't say anything. He just wanted to be out of here. The nurse left. At least he was alone now. It gave him some time to think of his next move. The commanders had probably left for their missions now. During their absence, he'd have to set up the tools to extract the gems with Charon's help. They'd need a powerful machine to hold down a legendary Pokemon long enough to harvest the gem's power. It would be painful, but a necessary action for the world to be a better place. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made.

The door opened. Johanna stepped inside, locked the door and switched off the lights so he could hardly see what was happening. She made her way across the room and sat down on a chair next to his bed. Her hand reached a nearby lamp to turn the light on. Now he could see her clearly. "I'm glad you answered my call," she said softly, peering down at him.

He snorted. "You didn't leave me much of a choice."

"The doctors tell me the transfusion went perfectly." A smile spread across her face. "Dawn's going to be fine." She reached a hand over and took his right. "You saved her life." He said nothing. He might've saved her life, but it hadn't changed anything. Her smile faded. "You're going to leave again, aren't you?"

"I have to."

She bit her lip and looked away briefly, as if debating with herself what to say next. She turned her head back around. "I want you to stay."

"You know I can't do that."

"Because of Galactic, right?" She released his hand and drew it back to wipe her eyes. "What's more important to you, Cyrus? Your family or your job?" she said softly.

He was silent once again. Jupiter had asked him a similar question earlier in the week. Where do your loyalties lie? "I'm doing what needs to be done." Couldn't she see it? He was going to make the world a better place to live. There would be no reason for tears and fear in his new world.

"What needs to be done?" she replied curtly. "You still believe you can make our world a better place? The world isn't as bad as you believe it to be." She stood up abruptly, smoothing the creases in her dress. "I know you've suffered, but there are others that suffer as well, Cyrus. We build bridges and we move on. We forgive and we forget."

"It's not that simple," he replied, keeping his eyes trained on her. "You haven't suffered."

Her eyes narrowed. "I haven't suffered?" She drew close to the bed, lifting a leg up to place on his bed and leaned over him. "I suffered for twelve years. _Twelve years!"_ she hissed. "You left me when I was pregnant with Dawn! I had to raise our child on my own! Do you have any idea how difficult that was on me? Do you know what I had to go through?"

He remained silent figuring it was best for Johanna to express her anger. She'd calm down eventually, she always did. She was just feeling a heightened period of emotional stress because of Dawn. He thought she was going to sit back down again, but she climbed onto his bed and straddled him, her eyes fixed on his face. "Johanna…"

Tears spilled down her pale cheeks. "Dawn kept me asking where you were and I told her a lie! I _lied_ to my daughter because I didn't want her to learn that her father was a coward!" She poked him in the chest. She was shaking now barely managing to hold herself together. His shirt was now damp with the tears that fallen on it. "Do you know what kept me going?"

"What?"

She poked him a second time. " _You!_ I held onto the belief that someday you would come back to me. Tell me you not have forgotten the memories that we shared? The passion we had?" She paused to wipe her eyes then continued, her voice reverting to a calmer state. "We'd go down to the lake every morning and talk for hours and you always knew the right words to say. You were the only person to ever make me feel happy in ways no one else ever could and I _know_ you felt the same way."

"I don't…"

Johanna brought her head down, brushing her lips against his own, pulling back when he drew in a sharp breath. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that what we had back then meant nothing to you," she said, glancing down at him, eyes watching like a hawk. "Tell me Dawn means nothing and then I'll believe you when you say you don't feel."

It was simple enough to repeat the words back, but he couldn't say it while meeting her eyes. Johanna had successfully touched a nerve and she knew it. He said nothing. What was there to say anyway? Tell Johanna she was right? Her lips met his again. He allowed himself to kiss her back then stopped.

"What happened between us happened over a decade ago, Johanna. A lot has changed since then. We were both young and foolish. I'm not that person anymore." Too much had changed. Things could never go back to the way they were.

She reached down and grabbed his hands, wrapping her fingers with her own, salty tears coating her fingers. His hand was now wet with her tears. "I believe that the man that I fell in love with twelve years ago still exists."

He looked at her, unable to think of something to say. She still believed in him after all these long years? She was either just trying to lure him back in or she was actually sincere and truly cared for him still despite everything that had happened. "I… don't understand," he said slowly, finding his voice to speak again. It was one of those rare moments in which he wasn't in control of the situation.

"You choose to see the evil in the world and you overlook the good," she murmured, bringing a finger to his right cheek, trailing a finger down affectionately. "If you're not careful, pride will be your downfall and then you'll lose everything." She kissed him again. "I don't want to lose you. Promise me, you won't do anything drastic."

That was a big promise to make. "I can't make that promise."

She nodded, trying to muster up a fake smile. "You still intend to go through with it."

"I can't abandon what I started now. I need to see it through to the end." He could see she was fighting hard not to fall apart completely, but he would not lie to her. He could tell lies to everyone else, his commanders, his workers, annoying cocky trainers blocking the roads, but not to her. "I won't lie to you, Johanna."

"And if the end isn't what you want?" she said softly.

"Then maybe you should've just abandoned me to my fate." That fate would've been to have died alone in the wilderness, but the professor had found him by accident, bleeding to death. The man had taken him in, nursed him back to good health and placed him in the care of Johanna, who had been his assistant for a short time.

He fell silent. Johanna remained tight-lipped herself, realizing it was the end of this conversation. She rolled off him, but remained close, resting her head on his chest, shutting her eyes. He placed an arm underneath her and held her close, drying her tears on the sleeve of his shirt. "Dawn will need you when the time comes," he whispered.

 _._

It was loud, crowded and full of people Maylene didn't like the looks of. There were women dancing and grinding up against random guys while those at the bar yelled comments Maylene couldn't say aloud in her gym. She was starting to regret this idea. What on earth was she thinking coming to a nightclub to forget her worries?

There were multiple eyes on her, admiring her like she was a piece of walking art whose only purpose was to look pretty. No one seemed to recognize her – flat-chested tomboy Maylene wouldn't be hanging out in a place like this. But here she was and not enjoying a single moment. The music was too loud. The lights were blinding. The people were pushy and rude. Not exactly her idea of a good time.

Someone brushed up against her. Maylene jumped then turned around, feeling quite vulnerable in her current attire. If someone were to attack her she wouldn't be able to defend herself without tripping over her own dress. A beautiful girl with luscious wavy red locks and wearing a scarlet dress (with a cut so low Maylene was surprised her breasts actually managed to stay in), leaned over to her friend and pointed a finger in Maylene's direction. Her friend, a skinny blonde girl with abnormally large breasts, laughed.

Maylene looked away. She hoped they didn't recognize her. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky. In the corner of her eye, she spotted the two girls hop off their seats and saunter towards her. Maylene braced herself for a nasty comment or two. "Hey, you're that girl who runs the gym here, aren't you?" said the red head.

"Maylene, right?"

Maylene mustered up a fake grin. "You got me."

The red-head gave a soft cynical laugh. "I can't believe you are actually a dress though, I mean, don't you know dresses are only for girls who actually look good in them? No offense, but you're not exactly A-grade material." She raised a hand in the air. "Why don't you just run along and stay in your gym? You're scaring all the guys here."

It was so tempting to punch the girl in the face, but she couldn't do that here, especially since she was a gym leader and expected to behave well. The reporters would be on her in a flash if she made a move against another person. A gym leader ending up on the television screens for the wrong reasons would most likely have their title removed off them by the Elite Four and Champion. That would be the end of her career.

She said nothing for a long moment then spoke softly. "You're right. It was a mistake coming here."

"Good."

Maylene turned her back, drawing in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. This was a disaster. She had only been in here for less than an hour and already she was having trouble. Keeping her head down low, she started making her ways down to the lower level when a lean male bumped into her. She almost toppled backwards, still unfamiliar with the high heels she was wearing, but the guy grabbed her arm at the last minute. "Thanks," she murmured, glancing up. Her eyes widened. A male with spiky blond hair and baby blue eyes stared down at her, a smirk tugging the corners of his lips. "Volkner?"

"Maylene, what a surprise," he drawled.

She sniffed. The strong scent of ale filled her nostrils. She sniffed again and followed the smell, bringing her closer to Volkner. She raised her eyebrows giving him bewildered look. "You drink?"

He shrugged. "Just started about a year ago. Helps me take my mind off things, you know?"

"I can't say I blame you. I hear there is someone in Sunyshore giving the citizens a difficult time. The electricity keeps switching off," she replied curtly, pulling her arm free of Volkner. "I wonder whose fault that is?"

He laughed. "I was redesigning the gym."

"For what? The tenth time this year?"

He took her arm firmly, leading her down the stairs to a level far more quiet then took her over to a spare table and sat her down. "Do you blame me? I'm bored. I haven't had a decent challenger in _months,_ Maylene. You live in Veilstone City so I wouldn't expect you to understand what boredom means, but Sunyshore is not as fortunate."

"And so you came here to drink? Did you think that was going to cure your boredom?"

Volkner briefly turned away from her and called over a waitress. The waitress smiled at him. Maylene knew that smile. It was a smile females often gave when they were in the presence of an attractive male. Volkner loved the attention. He winked. "Would you mind getting my friend here and I a couple of beers?"

"Anything for you, Volkner. I'll be right back."

The waitress hurried away and Volkner turned back to Maylene, wearing his usual trademark smirk. "I don't drink, Volkner, and you shouldn't be either," she said heatedly. "Are you forgetting that you are still a gym leader? What if you drink one too many beers and you misbehave? You'll lose your job."

He shrugged. "Do you think I care? I've been wanting out of this life for awhile now." He placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. "You interested in playing some pool?"

"No." She stared at him in disbelief. "You are willing to throw everything away just because you're bored? That's not the Volkner I know." She knew him as the talented and wise-cracking gym leader of Sunyshore, the one who often greeted people with a warm smile and shared advice with upcoming trainers. The Volkner sitting across from her was a shell of his former self.

The waitress returned, setting down two bottles of Arbok Fang on the table. It was said to be one of strongest beers in the world, rumoured to be made with poison from the snake's fangs. A small dose couldn't harm a person, but it could make them feel quite drunk within a few sips. Only the bravest of trainers dared to touch it.

Volkner winked at the waitress who blushed. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Volkner?"

He shook his head. "That'll be all, thanks." The waitress left. Volkner grabbed his bottle twisted off the lid and brought the rim to his lips. He swallowed a mouthful then set it down on the table again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Not bad, not bad at all."

He was expecting her to try some herself. Maylene sighed, and hoped this was worth it. Volkner was a good friend even though he could come off across as a jerk at times, but she wanted to help him to recover. She removed her lid, brought it to her lips and winced at the sour smell of it. It smelt like vinegar. Taking in a deep breath, she swallowed a mouthful of it and almost puked. The taste was… unpleasant. It tasted like bile. Gross.

Volkner laughed. "That was brave of you."

Somehow, she managed not to lose half her insides, but a few sprays of the foul liquor landed on the table. _Ugh,_ she thought. Fortunately, there were a couple of serviettes on the table she could use to clean up the mess. "That was repulsive."

"You get used to it. Clears your head."

Maylene pushed the drink aside. "So is this what you are going to be doing until your contract runs out? Causing blackouts in your city and coming here at night to drown in your misery?" She placed her hands on Volkner's own and looked deeply into his eyes. "You need to snap out of it, Volkner. Sunyshore needs you. The other gym leaders and I need you." She almost said the words 'I need you', but managed to hold it back. She withdrew her hands.

He rolled his eyes. "They'll find another gym leader, they always do."

"You inherited that title from your late father. Does that meaning nothing to you at all?"

He took another swig of his drink then looked away, choosing to find the dart board on the far side of the room more interesting than looking at her. "Have you played a game of darts before?" He stood up, clasping his beer bottle in one hand, and used his free hand to take one of her hands. He helped her up to her feet. "Do you think it would be weird to have a dart board in my gym? It'd be better than standing around doing nothing at all."

"You're avoiding the question," Maylene stammered, prying her hand free of Volkner.

"Did I tell you that you look stunning tonight?"

Any other girl would've blushed at the compliment, but Volkner wasn't in the right state of mind. She crossed her arms over her chest and glowered. "Sit down, Volkner." She uncrossed her arms and grabbed him, forcing him to sit back down again. Unfortunately, she was easily manhandled in her current attire and failed to get him anywhere.

Now she was facing him, her body pressed against his. She tried to move away, but he had her up against the edge of the table. It wasn't like she could create a scene anyway since they were in a public place full of other trainers. Volkner brought a hand to her chin and tilted it up, gazing down into her eyes. "You never told me why you came here tonight."

"I wanted to do something different for once."

He smiled sardonically. "How's that going for you?"

She gave him a deadpanned expression. "There's more excitement at my gym."

"Oh, really?" He chuckled. "I might have to change that."

"Wh-" Her words were cut off as warm lips brushed against hers. It was even better than she imagined. He looked good. He felt good. And _he_ was _kissing her._ But it wasn't right. This wasn't Volkner talking; it was the Arbok Fang making decisions for him. She pulled her away, drew a hand back and brought it hard against his cheek. "Dammit, Volkner!" she scolded, panting.

He stumbled back, glaring, rubbing the red spot on his cheek. "I thought you came here looking for a good time?" he said with a mocking twist of his lips.

People were staring. This was good gossip for them. Maylene pointed a finger at him, struggling to contain her anger. "You're right. I came here for that very reason and I hoped you'd be here tonight as well, but you're not… you!" she spat. She grabbed the bottle out of his hand. "I'm not going to tell Cynthia, but I will call your friend, Flint. You're not going to leave Sunyshore until you can be trusted." Volkner protested, but Maylene ignored him, storming out of the building. She headed back towards the gym, her eyes stinging with tears. How could one night out go so terribly wrong?

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Sunlight poured through the open blinds and into her room, reminding Dawn it was a brand new day. The events of the past twenty four hours were a little hazy, but she knew it must've been rather serious since she was lying down on a bed in a small white room. At first she thought she had somehow been escorted to a rehabilitation building, but then she noticed the doctors and nurses standing nearby.

"Where am I?" she murmured, sitting upright on her bed, feeling her head spin.

"You are in the Pokemon Centre, Dawn. You received a nasty bite from your Deino the previous day," said a nurse. She smiled, then turned around to look behind her shoulder, and nodded. "You may come in. She's awake."

"Dawn!" Barry burst through the door, pushing his way past two stunned doctors, and dropped by Dawn's bed. "I knew you'd be all right!" He gave her a cheesy grin and bent down to give her a hug. Behind him, she saw Professor Rowan, Lucas and Fantina. But where was her mother? And her father?

"It's good to see you in fine health," Fantina said.

Barry stood up. "When is she allowed to leave? Dawn and I need to battle."

"Barry!" scolded Professor Rowan.

Barry grinned. "I'm just kidding, seriously! I know Dawn needs a good rest!" He looked down at her again. "I'm glad you're fine." He turned to the doctors, smile fading from his face. "But seriously, when is she allowed to leave? She's a Pokemon trainer. She can't be cooped up here forever! She needs to battle me to determine who gets to take on the Sinnoh League!"

The professor's eyebrows lifted, and he opened his mouth, as if he were going to give some long drawn out lecture, but stopped when Johanna entered the room. Her face was puffy, but her eyes were bright and shining. "Dawn!" Barry moved aside, allowing Johanna to give her a hug. She embraced her mother for what felt like minutes until her mother pulled away. "I'm so sorry for everything!"

"It's all right. I'm fine now." She looked behind her mother hoping to catch a sign of her father, but there was no one else there. "Where is he?" She knew he had to have been there – what kind of parent wouldn't come?

"He left," Johanna replied, pushing a strand of hair away from Dawn's forehead. "Don't worry about it now, sweetie. All that matters is that you are in good health." She kissed her on the forehead then turned to the doctors and nurses. "Thank you for saving my daughter's life." She was crying again, but they were tears of happiness now at least.

Fantina stepped forward. "I don't want to ruin the reunion, but I would like to speak with Dawn alone, if I may. There is something I would like to discuss with her." The doctors and nurses left the room. Professor Rowan followed as did Lucas. Barry wanted to stay behind himself, but Lucas dragged him out. Johanna was the last to leave. They closed the door behind them.

"We need to work out a rematch time," Dawn said, leaning back against the bed rest, using her pillow to make it more comfortable.

"I wish to talk to you about your Pokemon, Deino."

"He's not in trouble, is he? He didn't mean to attack me."

Fantina sat down on the edge of her bed and furrowed her brows. "Your Deino has been fed illegal drugs from a man called Ghetsis. You received your Pokemon from him. The drugs make your Pokemon evolve much faster, but it comes at a cost. For your safety, we believe your Deino should be put down." She paused. "I'm sorry, Dawn."

Dawn was quick to react. "I won't let you do that to him. Deino is my friend and I won't let him be punished for something out of his control."

Her response wasn't what Fantina had in mind judging by the shocked expression that took hold of her face. "Deino almost killed you."

"I won't turn my back on him," she stammered, shaking her head, blue bangs falling around her face. "I know what Deino did to me, but I don't blame him. I forgive my Pokemon."

"You truly are a unique trainer, Dawn," Fantina said slowly, looking at Dawn with a mixture of disbelief and relief. "Many trainers would put their Pokemon down if they had experienced what you had, but you choose not to. You understand the bond and I'm glad that you do." She shuffled closer, dropping her voice to a whisper almost. "There are dark times ahead. The love you have for your Pokemon will see us through. You are the lightbringer, the bringer of a new day, Dawn. That is why I think you should take this." She brought her other hand forward.

Dawn reached out and extended a palm and Fantina dropped what looked like four purple circles with light-blue rims, stuck together to form a triangle. "A gym badge? But I didn't… No, I can't take this. It's not right." She tried to give the badge back but Fantina refused to take it back.

"You have shown me that your bond is deeper than I had originally assumed. You are choosing to stick with a Pokemon that almost resulted in your death. It takes a trainer with a pure heart to make that decision. I believe you deserve this badge." The corners of her mouth curved upwards into smile. Fantina didn't look so menacing now, especially not with the sunlight washing over her. "In the brief battle we had, you showed me your strength as a trainer. You lost and you came back with a new strategy. If Deino had not attacked you, I believe you would've won."

She curled Dawn's fingers then placed her hand over hers. "This still doesn't feel right…" Dawn said.

"You deserve this badge."

Dawn removed her hand, letting it rest on her lap. Another badge obtained, bringing her one step closer to the end, but it was still a long way off yet. She still needed to find Cyrus and hear the truth from him in his own words. Asking her mother about it didn't seem like the smartest option considering how stressed she looked. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, Dawn." Her smile faltered. "Be careful on the road."

"Where would you recommend I visit next?" Fantina walked to the bedside table, opened the first drawer and reached down to grab a town map. She laid it out on Dawn's lap and pointed to town called Solaceon. "You'll have to bypass the Lost Tower to reach Solaceon Town. It's a memorial site. Solaceon is quite a warm place so you might want to visit the department store and pick up something cooler to wear. There is no gym, but it's a nice little place to visit. You should visit Veilstone next. You'll find your next gym challenger there, Maylene."

Judging by the map, all she had to do was follow a one road path. It was a long journey to Veilstone, but at least there was a break point in between. She wondered what Solaceon Town would be like. The cities on the eastern side tended to be of a warmer climate than those on the west. At least it gave her a chance to change into something else. Perhaps she'd find some new Pokemon on the way as well. It had been awhile since she introduced a new Pokemon to her team.

"I should head back to the gym. Your friend Barry will want to challenge me before he leaves." Fantina said her goodbyes and left the room.

Barry. She had almost forgotten that he hadn't obtained his third gym badge. It had been awhile since she last had an actual conversation with him, but she couldn't wait around for him to win his third badge. As soon as she was given the green light to leave, she'd set out for her journey again, and work on strengthening her bond with Deino. Light overcame darkness. The baby dragon needed to be shown the light.


	15. Hanging On By a Thread

Can't say I'm surprised no one is reviewing since this is a re upload...

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 **Chapter Fourteen: Hanging On by a Thread**

Maylene banged on the door as hard as she could, not caring she was making a lot of noise for this time of the day. It was just a few minutes past midnight and all she wanted to do was clean herself up and berate herself for being a complete fool. "Open up, dammit!" she said, doing her best to hold back the sobs. If she lost control now she wouldn't be able to stop crying for hours.

The door opened several moments later and Darren was standing there. His mouth dropped open seeing the tears running down Maylene's pallid cheeks. "Maylene?"

She pushed past him, keeping her head down on the ground, not wanting her friend to see her in this state. Tough gym leaders didn't shed tears, especially not in front of their trainers. She was their idol – they came to _her_ for comfort. It didn't work the other way around. "I'm fine," she said, lying through her teeth, hoping Darren couldn't see past it.

A hand rested on her shoulder. "No, you're not. What happened?"

She wanted to be strong in front of one of her students, but she couldn't do it. Turning around, she threw herself into his arms and sobbed into his shoulder. "It was… a disaster!" she sobbed, clinging onto Darren tightly. "He's not the same, Darren! He… he kissed me!" Volkner. He was drunk, but it was still a kiss. He embarrassed her. Did he think she was just some other girl he could have his way with?

"Who did?"

She pulled back, tears rolling down her cheeks. The mascara she had been wearing now ran down her cheeks as well giving her the panda eye like. At least she was at home now and not at the casino still. "V-Volkner!" she blurted. "I thought he was… a good guy… but he's different!" She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but it didn't help. She was shaking.

Darren pulled her into a warm embrace again. "You're home now, Maylene. Everything's going to be all right," he said soothingly. He held her for a couple of moments then drew back. "Do you want me to deal with him?"

Maylene shook her head. "No. I… I hit him." If word reached the league a gym leader had attacked another gym leader in a public setting then she could face possible suspension. Battles were supposed to be solved with their Pokemon, not with fists. "I asked Flint to come down."

"Flint? The Elite Four member? Why bring the league officials into this?"

"I want to help him, Darren. Curse me for being a fool, but I… I can't stand by and watch him suffer." Flint would know what to do. He was Volkner's best friend for years before he left for the league. She gazed up into Darren's dark eyes, trying to determine what he was thinking. The brothers were awfully protective of their leader.

"I don't agree, but if this is what you want, I'll help."

A smile spread across her face and she wiped the tears away with her hands. "I look so stupid, don't I?" She forced a dry laugh then lowered her hands to her sides. "I'm going to take this crap off my face. Flint should be here soon." She moved away from Darren and retreated to the bathroom. There was no point in greeting her guests if she looked like a mess. Flint might think she was the one who needed help. She hoped this wasn't a mistake.

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Houndour fell to the ground, landing on his side, gasping for air. His trainer, Paul, walked over to his Pokemon, stared down then spat at the ground before the canine's face. _Pathetic,_ he thought. He kicked the ground, sending up grains of sand into the canine's eyes then turned his back. "Bloody Pokemon… I swear I should've just let you die."

The road to Solaceon had been tough and full of strong trainers, but he had avoided them all by taking a secret path through the forest. He wasn't there to fight trainers anyway - he was there to prey on the weak trainers and take their Pokemon from them. Of course, he didn't ambush all the trainers – only the ones that looked strong. Strong Pokemon were essential and if he wanted to become the best, he needed the strongest Pokemon around. What better way to achieve that goal than hiding behind some bushes waiting for the right moment to strike?

Sadly, none of the trainers appealed to him at all. They were weak and undeserving of being trainers. He looked to his Houndour again, and screwed his face up in disgust. The trainers were weak – just like his pathetic Houndour. There was only one way to deal with weak Pokemon. Placing a hand into his pokebelt, he removed the canine's pokeball and raised it above his head. "I don't like weaklings. You have no place on my team." He threw the ball, successfully hitting Houndour on his side. The ball rolled off.

Houndour climbed to his feet, ears pinned against his head, keeping his snout low. The canine moved towards his trainer, swaying from side to side, severely weakened by a battle against a wild Pokemon. Blood was leaking out the right corner of the canine's mouth. There were various other cuts and bruises all over the dog's body, including a twig wedged in between two toes on the canine's front left paw.

Paul didn't care – as far as he was concerned, Pokemon could only become stronger with harsh training. How could a Pokemon become stronger if they were treated with love and care? It didn't make any sense to him. "Look, quit the whining. You're useless to me now," he rasped, kicking at the ground again, sending more grains of sand flying in the canine's face. The dog took a step back, but refused to walk away.

Some trainers kept their weak Pokemon because of sentimental issues or because they couldn't catch anything better. Some even believed there was no such thing as a weak Pokemon foolishly believing all Pokemon were equal. Strong Pokemon won battles. Weak Pokemon lost battles. Why couldn't anyone else understand a simple concept?

Houndour remained in place, looking at his trainer, holding his injured paw in the air. Paul rolled his eyes and walked over to a bush, bending over to pick up a pebble. He straightened and hurled it at his Houndour, hitting the weakling square between the eyes. The canine yelped, prompting a hearty laugh to leave Paul's throat.

"Don't you understand? I don't want you with me anymore. You've been dumped you stupid mutt." Houndoor took a couple of steps backwards, eyes never leaving his trainer's face. Paul looked away, turning his attention to the road to Solaceon Town instead. Maybe the dumb Houndour would get the hint and realize he wasn't wanted anymore. Stupid Houndour's.

Houndour wouldn't give up though. The canine continued to whine which only caused Paul's irritation levels to increase. Glancing over his shoulder, he shot the canine a dirty look. Houndour was going to follow him around everywhere – the canines were known to be fairly loyal towards their trainer if they were treated well. In comparison to the canine's former owner, Paul could be considered a 'nice trainer'. There was only one way to ensure the dog didn't follow him around – abandon the canine at the top of the Lost Tower. Fortunately, the tower wasn't too far away from where he was standing currently.

"Hey mutt, follow me. We're going on an adventure," he demanded, jerking his head back towards the wounded Houndour. The dog's mood seemed to lift and he limped over towards his trainer. Paul sighed, bent over and placed his arms beneath the dog's belly and lifted it up, cradling him in his arms. The sooner he ditched the dog to die, the better.

As soon as he left the shelter of the forest, he felt a couple of drops of rain land on his head. There were a few clouds passing by, but there didn't appear to be a storm in sight. It might have been bird droppings. Bird droppings landing on a trainer's head was considered lucky though so perhaps this meant Houndour would finally get the hint. He quickened his pace, ignoring the trainers that were passing by.

Some of the trainers stopped to gawk at him and he suspected his rough appearance made them wary. There were leaves in his hair and his clothes were torn in several places, but that was the risk a trainer took if they wanted to become stronger. Besides, it made him look intimidating. Better to look beaten up than run around with a bowl haircut like those dumb Galactic people. Just what exactly was there deal anyway?

He reached the base of the Lost Tower and stepped inside, immediately greeted by a musky odour. To this day, he still couldn't fathom why people bothered paying their respects to the dead Pokemon of the past. A dead Pokemon was dead. Why worry about it? He looked around and noticed there were quite a few trainers in here, kneeling before headstones with blurry eyes. Rolling his eyes, he walked past them and climbed up the stairs.

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According to the map, the road to Solaceon would take a day to reach, possibly even two if she got sidetracked by touristy activities on the way there. Checking out the Lost Tower was one of those tourist activities she was tempted to explore. The gym advisor hadn't said much about it, but it was a memorial tower for those that had fallen in battle all those decades ago.

"What do you think Gastly? Would you like to explore the Lost Tower?" Dawn said, looking at her Ghost-type Pokemon floating around her head. Gastly nodded and Dawn smiled. She wasn't surprised. Gastly probably was a distant relative to the Pokemon that had died in battle. There was no need to reach Solaceon in a hurry either – she had just left the Pokemon Centre a couple of hours ago despite her mother's concern. Johanna didn't want her to leave, but she let her daughter go because Dawn wanted to.

Unfortunately, she didn't have a chance to ask her mother more about Cyrus. Her mother had run off to the bathroom, complaining about a sickness of some sort and Dawn decided not to interrogate her now. There would always be a next time, she knew. The Lost Tower was a five storey grey building with an image of a pokeball engraved on the highest floor. There was a signpost at the entrance on the right providing a brief history of the tragic events that occurred here many years ago. Dawn was going to read it, but Gastly was eager to enter the building. She made a note to read about it later then followed her Gastly inside. It was surprisingly cool in the tower. She wrapped her arms around herself.

The scent of old gravestones filled her nostrils as she ventured deeper into the tower's first floor. There were a couple of other trainers here, kneeling down leaving flowers before the gravestones, dabbing away at their eyes with tissues. Dawn found it unsettling. It was more unsettling being inside a memorial cemetery than being chased around by spirits in Hearthome's gym.

She walked across the pale green-coloured tiling and made her way up the first flight of stairs, her Gastly floating directly in front of her. Gastly floated through the walls, popping out on Dawn's side every couple of minutes, and Dawn couldn't help but chuckle at her Pokemon's odd behaviour. Her Pokemon could probably sense the deceased here and it made him act in an unusual manner.

"Oomph!" she said, as she was pushed into the wall roughly. She recovered, and glared at the person who had shoved her so rudely.

A male in torn clothes with longish purple bangs turned to sneer at her. "Look where you walk," he said, shoving his hands into his pocket, pinning his shoulders back.

Dawn was not amused. "This is a memorial place. You can't be so rude to people."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Guess what, lady? There are no rules when it comes to the life of trainer. I do as I please and if you get in my way, I won't hold back." He looked her up and down then smirked. "Actually, on second thoughts, I'm not going to waste my time on a weakling like you." He started walking down the stairs his cold laughter filling the air.

Dawn didn't even know the guy, but she didn't like him. Was he one of those wild trainers she had heard about? He certainly looked the part. There were even a few leaves stuck in his hair and even some dirt patches on his jeans, adding to her assumption he was a wild trainer. She turned to her Gastly who peeked through the wall. "Go and teach that kid a lesson," she whispered.

Gastly's smile widened. He disappeared into the wall again then emerged behind the boy's head. Gastly floated behind him, before stretching out his tongue to lick the back of male's head. The boy immediately brought a hand to his neck and spun around, a murderous expression on his face, but Gastly had disappeared again. His eyes met with Dawn's.

"A weakling?" Dawn said.

"At least your sense of hearing is better than your eyesight…" the boy mocked.

"I'm not weak. I've got three badges," Dawn boasted, feeling the need to wipe that smirk of the trainer's face. Boasting wasn't something she did on a regular basis, but this kid was asking for it. How dare he shove her into a wall and imply she was weak? "How many have you got?"

He snorted. "You think you're tough just because you have a couple of badges? A lot of trainers walk past this tower believing the same thing, but they didn't stand a chance against me, chump," he stated smugly. "Now, have you got a name or should I refer to you as chump from now on?"

A muscle jerked in her jaw. Chump? "Dawn. What is yours?"

"Paul."

As much as she wanted to cut down this guy's ego, she couldn't start a fight in a graveyard. That would be disrespectful to the spirits resting here. All she could do was glare at this jerk and hope he'd leave her alone. "I'd teach you a lesson myself, but you're not worth my effort," she said, trying to match his arrogance in her tone.

"You talk big for a little girl." Was it this guy's job to insult people? Every time he opened his mouth, he said something negative and demeaning. He jerked his head up the stairs. "If you make it to the top, you'll find a Houndour. You can have him if you want – I have no room for weaklings on my team."

"You abandoned your Pokemon?"

He shrugged like it was no big deal. "Why do you look so surprised? Strong trainers have strong Pokemon on their team. If one of my Pokemon loses a battle against a wild or tamed Pokemon, I abandon them. I'm not going to have a team of weaklings."

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my life. You don't become friends with a Pokemon and then dump them when things don't go to plan," Dawn retorted, her hatred for Paul growing with each passing second. If she adopted that way of thinking then she would have allowed Deino to be put down. Heck, she would've had a new team of Pokemon because they had all lost a battle at some point. "Abandoning your Pokemon… that's foolish. You'll never develop a bond with your Pokemon."

He rolled his eyes. "Save your preaching for someone who cares, Dawn." He moved in closer, eyes never leaving her face. Dawn tried to find some sort of kindness in them, but there was nothing but hatred. "Love doesn't help you win battles – power does. You'd be wise to remember that." He dug his hands in his pocket. "I might just see around… maybe next time you can prove me wrong with your battling ideals. I need the laugh." He walked down the stairs.

"What a jerk…" Dawn muttered.

She waited for the boy to leave her sight before heading up the stairs again. Paul had said something about abandoning a Houndour on the top of the tower. Dawn wanted to reach the Houndour before another trainer did – what if some other jerk got their hands on the poor Pokemon? What if the Pokemon died?

She quickened her pace, thankful the stairs weren't too difficult to climb. It was tiring, but she made it the top in a couple of minutes. The rooms were pretty small and only became smaller the higher up she went. She bypassed more rooms filled with gravestones before finally reaching the top. A wounded Houndour sat in the middle of the room, his chin resting on his paws. The canine was making a whining noise and Dawn felt her heart break.

She approached the Houndour carefully, uncertain how the canine would react. He didn't look like he could cause much damage, but a frightened Pokemon behaved in unpredictable ways. Would the canine run? Try to attack? Or let her touch him? The Houndour lifted his head and watched Dawn carefully, ears standing erect.

"I'm not going to hurt you…" Dawn said softly, slowly lowering herself to her knees to crawl across the tiled floor. This was risky. If Houndour attacked her, she'd find herself back in the Pokemon Centre again with another wound. One bandaged wrist was enough. She drew closer and slowly lifted a hand, reaching out towards the canine.

The dog moved his snout forward, pressing his cool wet nose against her hand. He jaws parted revealing a row of baby teeth, but they still could inflict some decent damage should the canine decide she was an enemy. Fortunately, for Dawn's sake, the canine wasn't in the mood to fight. Houndour moved a paw forward and Dawn noticed there was something lodged in between his toes.

Paul had abandoned his Houndour and hadn't bothered to bring the canine medical attention. Had he left him here to die surrounded by other dead Pokemon? Paul had said she could have the Houndour if she wanted. She studied the poor canine. Having a dog on her team would be pretty cool to have, but what typing was it? She pulled out her Pokedex.

 _Houndour. It is smart enough to hunt in packs. It uses a variety of cries for communicating with others._

She glanced down at the screen where the typing class of Fire and Dark appeared. "I don't really need another dark-type, but you're just too cute," Dawn said, grinning down at the canine, stroking the dog on the head. "And you are a fire-type as well. Well, I'm going to take care of you, okay? You can trust me." The dog wagged his tail. She was surprised how quickly the dog had warmed up to her but perhaps it was because it was in pain and not willing to put up a fight. She hoped the relationship wouldn't change – she still had to work on gaining trust from Deino.

The Houndour didn't have a pokeball to return to and she didn't have any spare ones on her. She was going to have to carry the dog back to the Pokemon Centre before his condition worsened. It did mean returning to Hearthome, but it would be a short and necessary stay. She bent down and moved closer to the Houndour and tried to slip her hands underneath the canine's belly. Houndour looked alarmed. Dawn pulled back.

She couldn't possibly allow the Houndour to follow her all the way back down. The poor canine would probably faint by the time it reached the bottom. Despite the pain Paul had put him through the canine was still loyal to him to an extent. Another idea formed in her head. Grotle was big enough now to carry Houndour on his back. Without wasting another thought, Dawn summoned Grotle.

Could Pokemon of different species communicate with each other? "Grotle, Houndour is going to join us, but I can't carry him. Would you mind carrying Houndour for me?" Grotle nodded and turned to Houndour. The two Pokemon looked at each other. Grotle turned around and crouched, wriggling his body. Somehow, that was supposed to be a communication sign for Houndour to climb on.

It worked strangely and the canine climbed onto Grotle's back, clinging on by biting down on Grotle's small tree. If it hurt, Grotle didn't show it. He didn't seem bothered at all that he was carrying a passenger. Dawn smiled. "You're going to be fine, Houndour. Paul is going to regret abandoning you."

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Volkner sat up and brought a hand to the side of his head. He felt like someone had brought a hammer down on his head. With a groan, he tried to climb to his feet, but found that simple action made him want to lose the contents of his stomach. What the heck had happened last night? He brought his knees to his chest and leaned forward, squeezing his eyes shut hoping the pain would go away.

"Where is he?"

"He's sitting on the floor against the counter. He woke up about an hour ago."

Volkner heard voices, but he couldn't quite tell who was speaking. It was too much effort at this point. All he wanted to do right now was lie down on a couch and watch television all day long and not have to deal with anyone. Speaking of television, where the heck was he anyway? He definitely wasn't at home.

"Where am I?" he murmured, slowly lifting his head up from his knees. He was sitting on cold wooden floorboards with his back pressed up against a wooden counter. Bright sun rays poured through the open windows causing him to shield his eyes with his right arm. The light was too bright. There was a sign nearby with some print on it, but he couldn't read it. Too much effort. "I want to go home," he muttered.

A few moments later, he felt someone touch his shoulder. He immediately jumped, jerked his head to his left and snarled. The other person laughed. "Did I shock you, Volkner?" He laughed again. "The owner of this establishment tells me you had a rough night."

Volkner snorted. "Tell me about it," he muttered, wincing from the pain in his head. He didn't remember anything at all about last night.

"We're at the casino in Veilstone."

Casino at Veilstone? That explained the hammer to the head feeling. Had he really consumed that much alcohol in one night? Just the thought of alcohol made his stomach twist. He lurched forward without warning, spilling forth yesterday's breakfast on the floor and over himself. Disgusting. "I want to go home," he whined.

"You're not going anywhere, Volkner. Maylene sent me a text last night telling me to get here as quickly as possible. It's a good thing it's quiet at the league otherwise no one would come to help you," the other person said. "You have certainly seen better days, my friend."

Volkner recognized that voice now. Flint. He was a member of Sinnoh's Elite Four and specialized in Fire-types. The last time he had seen Flint was two years ago and that was before the guy had become a member of the league. Nowadays, he only contacted Flint through web services and that was on rare occasions.

"I'm taking you down to Maylene's gym. You need rest and privacy – you won't get that at the Pokemon Centre. Come on, I'll help you up."

Flint placed one of Volkner's arms around his neck and placed his own around Volkner's then slowly stood up. Volkner almost stumbled, but thankfully Flint was there to support him. As soon as they were standing, Flint walked Volkner out of the building, taking careful steps so Volkner could keep up. The gym was just around the corner, but for Volkner it felt like it was miles away. Every step made his head spin.

"I never thought of you as a drinker, Volkner. What happened to you, man?"

Volkner grunted in response. He didn't feel like talking.

"Come on, talk to me. We're pals, right? I want to know why my good friend started drinking. I'm not going to leave you until you start talking."

Flint was so pushy. Volkner wanted to push him away but he'd probably hit the ground first before he did anything else. Thankfully, it was quiet in the streets – the locals were probably feeling the same way he did. Like crap. "Why does it matter?" Volkner slurred. He feared he'd vomit again if he kept opening his mouth.

"It matters because you are a gym leader and a gym leader should behave accordingly. You can have your fun, but embarrassing situations like this? It doesn't reflect on the league too well since we are the ones who decide who gets to be a gym leader." Volkner's knees buckled. Arceus, how _much_ had he consumed last night? He had experienced quite a few hangovers before but none quite like this. "You need to tell me what's going on before this gets reported to Cynthia. She'll have you stripped of your title, but I can convince her to give you another chance. You just have to tell me what's going on."

They continued walking down the cobbled path until Volkner decided he couldn't walk any further. His legs gave way and he fell to the floor, pulling down Flint with him. A few curse words left Volkner's words as he hit the ground. He didn't stay on the ground for too long though as he felt the urge to vomit again rise up within. He climbed on all fours and hurled yesterday's lunch onto the path then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Let her strip me of my title," he spat in between heavy pants, hands resting on his knees. "I don't want to be a gym leader anymore."

Flint knelt down beside him. "I know you don't mean that. You always wanted to be a gym leader, ever since you were a kid. Your mother told me one afternoon while you were lying in bed with a head cold." He paused, as Volkner vomited again then continued. "Your father would be disappointed."

"I don't care. He's dead. Dead people no longer matter."

"He was proud of you."

Volkner looked up from the floor and glared. "I'm sure he'd be filled with pride if he could see me now," he replied, giving a sardonic laugh. "I haven't seen you in two years and now that we're meeting face to face, the only thing you can talk about is my late father and how proud he is of me?"

"I joined the Elite Four. I had responsibilities."

"Yeah right," he said ruefully. "You said it earlier – the league has been quiet. What were you doing then? Watching movies on your big fancy plasma screen? Spending time in the heated pool earning your paycheck while the rest of us have to work?" he hissed. "It's not exactly easy being a gym leader, Flint. We don't have the same luxuries as you and you league buddies have."

He knew he was coming off across as sounding like a jealous brat, but who could blame him? Flint, his so-called best friend, had abandoned him for the league when he needed a friend's support and the guy barely made an effort to contact him. He was left with the other gym leaders for support and his relationships with the other seven had fallen apart over the past two years. He had no one.

Flint placed a hand on his back. "I'm sorry that I left."

Volkner shoved his hand off. "I don't want your pity." He averted his eyes from Flint's face and looked towards the sky instead, focusing his sights on the clouds amassing together in the south. Rain was on the way. "Everything's changed now." Try as he might, he could not stop the slight quaver in his voice. Perhaps it was the after effects of the hangover messing with his head, but he felt more sensitive than usual.

"I know you and your father were close," Flint said softly.

"The day you left was the same day I learned about my father's ailing condition," Volkner replied, drawing in a deep breath to steady his voice. He remembered the event as if it had just happened yesterday. His father had taken him to the top of the lighthouse and told his son he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. It was curable, but the man had decided he was sick and tired of fighting an uphill battle and chose to die.

" _You are a coward!" Volkner accused, eyes stinging with tears. "You're just going to give up?! You told me you'd never stop fighting!"_

 _His father looked at him with a calm expression. "You can't win every battle, Volkner."_

 _Tears travelled down his cheeks. He wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket and glared. "You're being selfish! Don't you care about the people who love you? They're going to suffer, but you don't care at all! You care so little about them you're just going giving up the fight!" He turned away from his father and raced down the steps of the lighthouse, not stopping once to answer the calls of his father._

"He gave up the fight," Volkner said softly, glancing down at his hands resting on his knees. "The one person who told me to never give up… gave up on life itself. What makes you think I care about being a gym leader? It means nothing to me, not anymore. Every time I walk into that gym I'm reminded of him. Do you know how that feels?" He was shaking now and unable to stop it. His position only reminded him of his father and his acceptance of defeat. He wanted to be free of that.

Flint shook his head. "No, I don't, but you can't continue travelling down this path, Volkner. Look at yourself – you've drunk so much you can hardly walk properly without assistance and don't even get me started on the troubles with the electricity in Sunyshore. You need to stop punishing yourself." He pointed to the vomit stains on Volkner's clothes. "It's only going to get much worse."

"Maybe it's what I deserve," Volkner said, trying to attempt some humour, but failed to hide the bitterness in his tone. "My mother has given up on me. Jasmine keeps turning me down. I run a gym where nothing of interest happens. My father couldn't practice what he preached. I come here to forget." It worked for a few hours, but then he had to face reality after he recovered. He'd come back for more the following day and the cycle would repeat. The cycle would only end when he decided he couldn't take it anymore.

Flint stared at him for a few moments longer and looked as though he wanted to say something, but never said anything. Instead, he lifted Volkner to his feet and slowly walked him towards Maylene's gym. "You are going to stay here for a couple of nights until I deem you are ready to return home." They continued walking down the cobbled path until they reached the entrance of the gym.

Volkner didn't want to go inside. If Maylene had called Flint for assistance then she must've been involved in whatever events had taken place the previous night. He doubted she'd be happy to see him on her doorstep considering his recent encounters with her had been less than pleasant. Flint knocked on the door. They waited for a couple of seconds when the door opened revealing Maylene with red eyes. Either she had been drinking as well or she had spent the night in tears.

"Come on in."

.

Saturn laid out his blue sleeping bag on the floor and climbed inside. It was moments like these he hated being a Galactic commander because he often found himself in crappy situations like this. He had been camping in the outdoors for a number of weeks now waiting for his next order and began to wonder if Cyrus had forgotten about him. He hadn't heard from the man in weeks and his fellow commanders hadn't bothered to return his texts.

He was sick of the bugs crawling over his face at night. He was sick of watching Magikarp swimming around in circles in the lake and he was sick of lying down in a sleeping bag in the cold when he could be sleeping in a nice warm bed. A couple of nights was tolerable, but not weeks of this torture. It just had to be his luck he was the one who always ended up with the outdoors job.

To make matters worse, he had four grunts accompanying him and they were growing restless. A couple of nights ago, the grunts had tried to light a campfire and almost ended up setting their surrounding environment alight. Thankfully, Saturn had been able to control it before it had gotten out of hand, but now they had to sleep in the cold thanks to their stupidity. He couldn't trust the grunts to be in the presence of flames.

He pulled out his Xtransceiver from his pocket and scrolled through his list of contacts. He considered sending a text demanding information from his fellow commanders, but decided against it at the last moment. If they hadn't bothered to reply to his previous message why would they decide to change their minds now? It wasn't like them to ignore each other though and he assumed something significant must've happened.

He continued scrolling through until he reached the boss' number. _To call or not to call,_ he thought. Calling seemed like a bad idea since the boss didn't like being called unless there was good news to report back and nothing of interest had happened since he had arrived here. Telling the boss the lake was a good place to go fishing for Magikarp didn't seem like a bright idea and the boss might dock his pay, but then again, the boss hadn't contacted him in weeks. "Oh what the heck," Saturn murmured, selecting the boss's number. "I have a right to know what's going on."

There was a ten second delay before the boss picked up. "Saturn."

"What's going on, boss? I've been down here at the lake for weeks now and you haven't told me anything! Were Mars and Jupiter successful? What am I doing at the lake anyway?" Saturn blurted out unable to stop himself. "Why haven't you told me anything? Did you forget about me?" Saturn heard the boss sigh and berated himself. The boss probably assumed he was jealous.

"I have sent down a bomb squad to meet you at Lake Valor."

Saturn's eyes widened. "Bomb squad?" That seemed a little intense even by the boss' standards.

"You are to capture the legendary Lake Guardian of Lake Valor. The bomb will force the creature out and then you will inject it with a specially made injection I have created. Is that understood, commander?"

Questions surfaced in Saturn's mind. Blowing up the lake could have catastrophic consequences on the environment. As much as he disliked the Magikarp, he didn't want the Pokemon to die. Why did the boss want to capture the Lake Guardian anyway? He didn't dare to ask though fearing Cyrus's wrath. "Understood, boss." No, he didn't understand, but he wanted to be a loyal worker.

Cyrus had given him an opportunity to showcase his skills after he was booted from college after failing to meet his financial obligations. Saturn had planned to take on a business management course as he intended to run his own business one day, but sadly he lacked the funds. Cyrus recruited him, promising Saturn his skills would not go to waste in Galactic, and Saturn swore an oath to serve.

If he had known his career would evolve blowing up lakes and killing Magikarp he would've refused, but there was no turning back now. Cyrus saw potential and agreed to pay him in exchange for loyalty and Saturn didn't want to disappoint. Sucking up to teachers in the pass didn't work, but it seemed to work here. As long as he remained on Cyrus's good side, he'd continue to act as a leader and be paid good money for it.

"The grunts will need protection. Distract the authorities patrolling the route to Lake Valor. Send one of the grunts to the Great Marsh in Pastoria City – he can act as a decoy to divert attention while you capture the Lake Guardian. You will return to headquarters immediately after capturing the legendary. Is that clear?"

This sounded like a recipe for disaster, Saturn thought, struggling to make sense of the proposed plan, but like the loyal commander he was, he agreed. "Understood, boss! I won't fail you!" Cyrus hung up and Saturn put his Xtransceiver away into his bag. He turned to his sleeping grunts and walked over to each grunt, giving them a good hard kick in the sides to wake them up.

"What's happening? Is it time to act?"

Saturn nodded. "The boss has a reward for the grunt who undertakes a dangerous mission," he said, keeping his face blank. The expressions on their faces brightened – who would turn down an opportunity to earn respect from the boss? "The bomb squad will arrive tomorrow and I'll need one of you to place a bomb in the Great Marsh to divert attention from our plans here. Which of you is brave enough to do this?" In other words, which grunt was foolish enough to risk their lives?

The thought of dying didn't seem to register with the grunts and Saturn could see why Cyrus had recruited them. They were so stupid they would consider jumping off a cliff as a smart method of eluding capture. _Oh well,_ Saturn thought. Better them than me. They would die and he'd reap the rewards.

"Pick me!"

"No, pick me!"

"I'm the smartest one here!"

"No way, don't listen to them, Saturn. I'm the only one who can do this!"

The grunts were so eager to impress, Saturn considered sending them all to their deaths, but he would need at least three to remain behind to carry the Lake Guardian back to Veilstone City. "We're going to play a game," he started, bending over to pick up four twigs. He put the twigs behind his back, snapped one in half then brought them forward, covering the ends with his left hand. "Whoever draws the shortest stick will carry out the honour."

"I like games!" a grunt exclaimed.

"Me first!"

The grunts rushed forwards and eagerly selected a twig. Once the grunts had chosen one, Saturn gave them the order to show him their twigs. The grunt standing to the far right had the shortest one. He was grinning obviously pleased he had won the game. Saturn put on a fake smile and congratulated the soon to be dead grunt. "Well done! You will be the one to impress our boss. You'll want an early night because tomorrow is going to be the big day." _And your last,_ Saturn thought dryly.

The other three grunts looked disappointed but retreated to their sleeping bags. One of the grunts was even crying much to Saturn's disbelief. He retreated to his sleeping bag and climbed in after swatting a few bugs away. One more night of this camping experience to endure and he knew it was one he was never going to forget. Tonight, he had given one of his grunts a death sentence.


	16. No Worries, Mate!

Is anyone actually reading this?

.

 **Chapter Fifteen: No Worries, Mate**

Volkner sat down on the futon and stared up at the ceiling. Flint had claimed the bed was supposed to be comfortable but he found it hard as a rock. It didn't matter how many times he shifted positions, he still found it uncomfortable. How was he supposed to rest on a bed like this? Did Maylene and her gym trainers sleep on hard beds to improve their strength and endurance levels? He never understood fighting-type trainers.

Flint and Maylene were in the kitchen area. He couldn't hear what they were saying but they were probably talking about him and what to do with him. He lay down on the hard bed. His head was still sore but at least he had stopping vomiting, for now anyway. The door opened and both Flint and Maylene entered. Volkner sat up again. "What's going on?"

"Flint and I are going to head down to the pizza shop for some takeaway. Darren and his brothers will look after you while we're gone. We'll be back in an hour," she said, purposefully avoiding looking directly into his eyes. Whatever had happened must've been bad if she couldn't even look at him. Maylene turned around and Flint followed leaving the door open.

So he was going to be babysitted by Maylene's trainers. How humiliating. He didn't know much about them – heck, he didn't even know what their names were. Maylene had probably mentioned it during a gym leader meeting, but he was most likely not listening. He wasn't without company for very long as one of the brothers entered the room wearing a scowl on his face. He was dressed in his white robes, a red headband around his forehead, while his hands carried a jug and glass of water.

"I'm Darren." Darren placed the jug and glass on the floor in front of the bed then sat down leaving at least what appeared to be a metre gap between them.

"Volkner," he said, stretching out his hand for Darren to take. He was a guest here so he might as well be nice to his hosts.

Darren refused his gesture. "I know who you are. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Volkner raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You don't remember anything from last night, do you?"

"No."

Darren snorted. "I don't know why she even wants to help you… After what you did, you don't deserve kindness from Maylene, but she has a good heart. You made a fool of her last night."

That explained why Maylene refused to meet his eyes. He wished he remembered what happened, but nothing came to mind. "Aren't you going to enlighten me with the details?" he said, reaching down for his glass of water.

"You kissed her," Darren replied, almost with a hiss.

Volkner almost choked on his water. He kissed Maylene? That didn't sound like something he normally did. Sure, he liked kissing girls and all, but he never forced himself onto someone before. This was going to be an awkward stay now that he was aware of that piece of information. "Oh." What else was there to say? Apologize? Somehow that didn't seem like it would work.

"Maylene's a good girl and I don't want to see her get hurt again."

Darren's words sounded like a threat. Could it be possible the boy was… jealous? It was normal for the gym trainers to admire their leaders, but he had never assumed it could be more than admiration. Gym leaders weren't allowed to get into relationships with their students because that was frowned upon even if they were of the right age.

"I had no intentions of hurting her."

"She cares about you."

No surprises there. Gym leaders looked out for each other and provided support when needed. Volkner had managed to keep his problems concealed for two years but his cover had been blown. If the other gym leaders found out… He shuddered. They'd probably get together and stage an intervention of some kind. Having Maylene and Flint on his case was enough trouble. "We look out for each other."

"You're missing the point. Maylene _cares_ about you," Darren replied, placing strong emphases on the word 'care'. "That's why she's hurt. If she didn't have any feelings towards you she wouldn't feel so bothered," he added, fingers curling into fists.

Volkner was worried the boy was going to deck him right there but Darren restrained himself. Still, he was cautious though. If Darren hit him it was going to hurt. "You're in love with her, aren't you?" Volkner asked, giving the boy a curious look.

If Darren cared for Maylene in a romantic manner, he certainly was good at not revealing it on his face. He didn't even budge. His face remained as hard as stone. The trainer leaned in close, and spoke, dropping to his voice to a whisper. "You touch her again and I will hurt you." He drew back and jerked his head down at the water. "Drink. You'll feel better." The boy stood up and left the room closing the door behind him.

.

Having to return to Hearthome City was exhausting, but it had to be done. Her Houndour would've perished if he didn't receive any medical attention. Fortunately, the doctors who treated injured Pokemon were able to operate on her Houndour before permanent damage was done. Returning to the same building where she had previously been attended to felt strange, but this time she was seeing it from a different perspective.

Now she knew how her family and friends felt while she lay on one of the hospital beds. For a couple of hours she had paced back and forth in the hallway, unable to sit still. Her mind had been occupied with doubt, worry and even hatred towards Paul. How could someone be so cruel to their Pokemon? Thankfully, the Houndour was no longer in Paul's care. Dawn had made a silent vow to ensure her Houndour was strong enough to crush Paul should she cross paths with him again.

Her stay in Hearthome City had been short as she was determined to reach Solaceon so she could continue her journey to find the truth of her family history. The closer she neared her destination, the warmer she felt. Thank Arceus she had taken time to stock up on some supplies and change clothes before setting off. She was still wearing a short-sleeved top and a short skirt, but she had put her scarf and jacket away as the weather warmed.

As she neared the town's gates, she was approached by a man wearing a shirt and shorts. "G'day mate! How ya' doin?" he called out giving her a wave.

Dawn frowned. She wasn't sure what the strange man was actually saying, but she smiled just to be polite. There was no point in causing any trouble especially with people like Paul and Team Galactic around. The man seemed nice enough even if she did speak in a funny manner. Stepping through the wooden gatehouse, Dawn heard more strange speech coming from the guards. She caught one of the guards talking about the 'missus' whatever that was.

Solaceon was often described as a carefree town full of eccentric people on the televisions and travel magazines. It was marketed as the number one place to go to if you wanted to experience an extreme cultural change due to the bizarre activities that occurred in this place. One of the games was called, 'Two-Up' which was apparently a gambling game involving gold coins.

She wasn't here to gamble though; this was simply a town she had to pass through to reach the destination of the next gym. Still, she figured she'd enjoy the unique cultural experience while she was here. A young couple walked by, both clothed in what appeared to be farming attire. The male wore a large straw hat and carried a pitchfork, while the woman wore yellow rubber gloves and big brown boots. They looked very strange, but she figured this was normal.

In addition to hosting a unique cultural experience, Solaceon was also known for its rich agricultural history. Most of the people in this town owned farms and sold their products in exchange for coins. Citizens of Solaceon were hard-working individuals who didn't seem to mind doing heavy labour work under the hot sun. Dawn on the other hand wasn't sure if she could handle it.

"I hear old Johno is chuckin' a sickie again!" a young trainer exclaimed, leaning against a fence chatting with his friend.

His friend laughed. "That's Johno all right! He's chuckin' a sickie so he can attend the barbie! He only works in the early hours of the morning though and the party is late in the arvo!"

"You reckon he'll get pissed again?"

His friend nodded. "Yeah, old Johno can't stay away from the rum."

Dawn turned her head away. These people lived in the region of Sinnoh too, but it felt like they came from a completely different world. They way they dressed, the way they spoke and acted… it was very different from the usual mannerisms she was used to. Even the town itself had a completely different vibe to it. Hearthome had beautiful and medieval architecture and this town lacked it all.

The trees in the area had been cut down to make way for grazing ground for Miltank and Mareep making it a rather bland place in terms of scenery. Even the buildings were simplistic in design – they considered of small wooden cabins and tin sheds which looked unstable. A strong windstorm could ruin the town with little effort. The people dressed in simple clothes, had tanned skin from the hours working under the sun and all wore big smiles. They didn't seem to have a care in the world at all. Dawn wondered what that would be like to not have anything to worry about. What a luxury that would be.

There wasn't a single cloud in the sky which was a rarity for the eastern cities. The eastern cities of Sinnoh often had overcast skies and heavy dumps of snow during the winter months, while the western cities bore the brunt of wild storms and damaging hail. It was also quite humid in the western lands which made getting around quite difficult for those unaccustomed to it. Beads of sweat dripped down her face. She wiped it away with the back of her hand.

The stench of Pokemon droppings filled her nostrils as she headed down a dusty path towards the centre of the town. A herd of Miltank were eating grass in a paddock to her right while a flock of Mareep lived in the paddock to the north. She headed over to the Miltank paddock and watched the cows eat. In the far end of the paddock, she spotted two adult Tauros locking horns together in a vicious battle for dominance. She figured they were fighting over a Miltank since it was said Tauros were more aggressive than usual when in the presence of single Miltanks.

"Hey Dawn!"

Dawn turned around at the mention of her name. She spotted her childhood friend rushing up towards her, a triumphant smile on his face. He obviously had obtained the badge from the third gym otherwise he wouldn't be here. "Hey Barry!"

Barry stood next to her and glanced at the Miltank panting heavily. Dawn raised an eyebrow – had he sprinted all the way here? It looked as though he had run a marathon. There were even visible sweat patches on his shirt. "I didn't think you were into cow watching," Barry said, then turned away from the Miltank to look at her. "I won my third badge!"

"That's great, Barry."

He grinned. "A brilliant flash of inspiration came to me before the battle against Fantina! I came up with a strategy to become an invincible trainer!"

She raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Somehow, she didn't think that method involved deepening his bond with his Pokemon. Barry was all about achieving results in the quickest way possible. "What strategy is that?"

His grin widened, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'm only telling you because you're my friend…" He drew close to her, leaning in towards her left ear. "All right. Listen close… the quickest way to become an invincible trainer is this… Make certain all your attacks hit. Avoid enemy attacks for sure." He pulled back. "You do that, you'd never lose!"

If anyone else had shared that information with her she would've shook her head from the silly logic behind the idea, but it was Barry and his goofiness was so contagious, she couldn't help but smile. She wasn't sure how Barry had managed to get past Fantina considering what the gym leader had told her about bonds and such, but perhaps the woman had allowed Barry to pass because of his friendship with Dawn? It was possible.

"So, what do you think? It's good, isn't it?" Barry exclaimed.

Dawn nodded. "I wish I had thought of that idea," she replied, playing along with her friend's craziness.

"Oh come on, Dawn!" he retorted in a light-hearted manner, catching onto her playful sarcasm. "You have to admit, it makes a lot of sense!" Dawn didn't get a chance to speak when Barry spoke up again. He dug a hand into the right pocket of his pants and pulled out a tourist brochure. "Guess what? They're holding a mini-tournament right here in Solaceon Town! It's being hosted by the farmers as a celebration of the fine weather or something, but that's not the point." He unfolded the brochure and drew Dawn's attention to the bold headline, 'Solaceon Tournament'.

Dawn skimmed through the text. A tournament between trainers was being hosted in the town's centre at three in the afternoon. A scientist called Bebe was offering an Eevee egg as a prize for the tournament champion. She thought hard. There was still one more spot available on her team and an Eevee would suit that position well. They could evolve into a number of elemental types that could provide her team with a much needed balance. Having a Vaporean would ensure all the elemental powers of the starter type Pokemon were covered.

"You are interested, right?"

She nodded, brushing a strand of blue hair behind an ear and answered his question. "Of course I am. It'll be good training for my Pokemon before I take on Veilstone City's gym."

Barry smiled. "Great! We just have to register at the Café Cabin and then we'll be set! You better make it to the final rounds, Dawn. You and I haven't battled in a long time and I want to show you how much I've improved! Come on, let's go and register already!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the Cabin Café which was somewhere outside the town's gates. He stopped after a few metres and faced Dawn. "Oh by the way, you need to become my friend on PokeNetworking."

"PokeNetworking?"

His jaw dropped. "You don't know about social networking on your Poketech? You do have one, right? The clowns in Jubilife were giving them away."

Oh, right. In light of all the events that had happened recently, she had forgotten about that device. She reached down into her bag and pulled it out. "Yeah, I've got one. I just never really had much time to explore it, that's all."

He shrugged. "That's understandable. I wasn't interested in it either until I learned about the PokeNetworking App. You can keep in contact with your friends around the region anytime, anywhere all with the simple click of a button! Here, I'll show you." He took Dawn's Poketech device out of her hands, turned on the machine and scrolled through the screens until he found the one he was looking for. "What's your trainer ID number?"

"Uh…" Dawn looked down into her bag again, this time pulling out her wallet. "Six, one, six, six, eight," she said aloud, reading the numbers imprinted on the upper left hand corner of the card. Barry entered the numbers as Dawn put wallet back into her bag. She peered over his shoulder. Barry had brought up a colourful screen with a world map on it. It all looked quite complex.

"The Poketech remembers your details so you won't have to enter it in again. You can take photos of your Pokemon and upload them to your profile page. You want to enter in the basic details so everyone knows who you are. It's a good way to track down other trainers, you know, just encase you want to challenge them to a battle sometime later down the road." He handed her the device back and pulled out his own. "I'll just send you a friend request. I've already got ten friends."

None of this was making much sense to Dawn. She didn't see the point in tracking the progress of other trainers at this time and moment. It seemed more distracting than anything else. "All right." A few moments later a notification popped up in the right-hand corner of the screen. Barry McCauley has sent you a friend request. Do you accept or reject? Dawn tapped the 'accept' option and moments later, Barry's profile appeared on her screen.

"Great! Be sure to update your profile!" He put his device away and Dawn did the same after switching it off. That was something she wouldn't be doing much of in the near future. "Okay, let's go to the cabin!" He led the way to the north, bypassing a group of young kids throwing their sandals at nothing in particular. It looked to be a competition to see who could throw theirs their furthest. She smiled, shaking her head at the sight. These people certainly were an interesting race of individuals.

The café cabin was situated just outside the northern gates sitting atop a gentle hill. Outside tables and chairs with umbrellas gave visitors and locals the opportunity to dine outside and take in the views around them. There were quite a few trainers sitting outside relaxing in the gentle breeze listening to a local musician playing tunes with his guitar. They entered the building and noticed a queue of people lining up. The other trainers appeared to be locals judging by their farming attire.

"This is so exciting," Barry said, rubbing his hands together. "You think any of these trainers will prove a challenge?" he added, observing the people before them.

Dawn studied the queue. The trainers were enthusiastically conversing with each other, but none of them had ever ventured outside their town before. They were all rookies. Dawn suppressed a sigh of disappointment. She had hoped they would prove a challenge to help assist in her training, but they appeared to be entering just for the thrill of it. Her only threat was Barry. _Look on the bright side,_ she told herself. _This will be a good chance to observe Barry's strategy._

It didn't take long for them to reach the counter. The man standing behind was well into his sixties as indicated by the grey hairs on his head and the wrinkles on his face. "G'day mates! Let me guess, you two are both 'ere for the tournament this arvo, aren't ya?" he said, giving them a wide smile, revealing two golden teeth in his upper jaw. Dawn didn't want to know the story behind them.

"Yeah," Barry said. "Sign us both up!"

The man nodded and glanced down at the paper resting on the counter. There was a list of scribbles of signatures of other competitors. Dawn counted four names on the paper. "Only four other trainers are competing?" Dawn said.

The man nodded again. "Yeah. Being a trainer isn't too common 'round 'ere." He grinned again. "I'm stoked to see some tourists taking part in the fun. It can get a little boring watching the same old people compete." He handed Dawn the pen pointed to the space beneath the last scribble. "Just write down your name 'ere and that'll be all, mate."

Dawn scribbled down her name then handed it to Barry who did the same. Barry handed the pen back and said his thanks. "This is going to be awesome! I can't wait to begin!" He grinned at Dawn. "I hope you're ready because I'm not going to hold back!"

"I look forward to it," Dawn replied.

The man smiled. "It'll be held across from the café at three pm! We're gonna some tucker after the battles so be sure to stick 'round!"

Dawn smiled politely then around, leading Barry back outside. The bizarre words people used here were surely going to get stuck in her head for a long time. "Well, shall we get something to eat while we're then?"

Barry nodded and sat down at one of the empty tables. It was already past one so they didn't have much longer to wait for the battle rounds to commence. Fighting on an empty stomach was never enjoyable though so it was necessary to have something nice to eat. Dawn took the menu and examined it. 'Karp and Chips. Bull Burgers. Farfetch'd Surprise. The thought of eating a Pokemon was sickening so Dawn opted to go with her usual – tofu and salad. It was amazing how many people claimed to love Pokemon yet did not hesitate when it came to eating them to satisfy their bellies. It wasn't that she didn't meat – if there was an option to avoid it, she'd take it without hesitation.

A waitress came over and wrote down their orders shortly afterwards then returned to the counter. Sitting down and having the chance to relax was calming. She hadn't had a day to spend some quality leisure time since setting off on her journey to become the next Champion. Barry on the other hand, didn't seem to be sharing the same viewpoint as her. He was more fidgety than usual – "Barry, you need to relax," Dawn said in between giggles.

"I don't like sitting down for long periods of time. I feel like I could be doing something else right now, like training my Pokemon and becoming stronger!" He darted his eyes around the room like a caged Pokemon. Dawn thought he was going to get up and run, but he remained put. "I want the tournament to start so I can carry on with my journey!"

"Come on, Barry. You have to admit, it's nice to catch up and just sit bit back for awhile and enjoy the moment. I'm eager to continue on myself, but don't push yourself too hard.

He stopped fidgeting. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I _am_ feeling kinda hungry."

She grinned. "You'll need a full stomach if you hope to stand a chance against me," she said playfully.

"You better eat well yourself. I want to give me everything you've got!" Barry challenged. The waitress returned several moments after with their food. Barry had ordered himself a plate of 'Karp and Chips and immediately started eating. He talked fast, he walked quickly and he even ate quickly. Dawn was surprised the boy didn't choke. Dawn was halfway through finishing her meal when Barry stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'll see you down at the tournament area! Catch ya later, Dawn!"

Dawn just shook her head. One of these days Barry was going to have to learn that sometimes it was better not to rush into everything.

.

Darren was right about something – drinking the water did make him feel better. Drinking the water made him realize just how thirsty he actually was; his mouth felt like a desert. The foul taste of vomit was still fresh in his mouth as well so he gurgled down some water then spat it out onto the floor, removing the last few traces of the leftovers. Spitting on the floor probably wasn't the wise option to take, but he was locked in the room thanks to Darren. The trainer didn't want him trying to escape so he locked him inside the room.

Volkner wouldn't mind so much if there was actually something to do. Staring at the ceiling and reflecting on recent events wasn't terribly an invigorating activity. He didn't even have his Pokemon with him. Flint had wisely taken his Pokemon off him while he was in the early stages of his hangover. Perhaps this was punishment. Force him to stay overnight in a room with just a bed to think about his previous actions.

He wiped his mouth and lay back down on the bed, hands resting on his stomach, as he gazed up at the ceiling. He could hear Maylene's students watching some stupid fighting show and yelling loudly. He wished they would quieten down their hollering so he could get some sleep, but their shouts only became louder. This was torture. Did they have to yell so loudly?

Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to sleep by using the 'counting Mareep' method, but it only made the task more difficult. It was said to sleep you had to clear your mind of all thoughts. That didn't make much sense to Volkner – thinking about nothing was still thinking about something so how did that help? Now he was confusing himself. He blamed it on the alcohol he had consumed the previous night.

The door popped open and Volkner sat up immediately, alarmed. He relaxed when he spotted Flint standing in the doorway, carrying a square white plate with two slices of pizza on it. The smell of pizza filled his nostrils, filling his mind with a sudden desire to eat. It dawned on him he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. No wonder the alcohol affected him so sadly.

"Feeling better?" Flint said, walking over to Volkner, avoiding the mess the blond made. He sat down, grabbed a slice of supreme pizza and took a bite using his hand as a plate.

Volkner glanced down at the other piece – seafood flavoured pizza. He spotted a bit of prawn on his pizza, but wasn't quite sure what the other pieces were. He didn't want to know either otherwise he might force up the contents of his stomach up again. "I've seen better days," he replied, still studying his pizza slice. To eat or not to eat, that was the question.

Flint looked down at his plate. "Eat. You'll feel better."

Flint was studying him and Volkner knew he wasn't going to get any rest until he had a bite. Holding in his breath, he brought the slice to his mouth and licked the tip, his tongue brushing up against something rubbery. Gross. He would've thrown the pizza aside, but he was being watched by a member of the Elite Four. Besides, Maylene would probably introduce him to a new world of pain should he decide to throw the pizza away. He bit down and forced himself to chew on the rubbery bit, trying not to think what poor Pokemon ended up in his stomach.

"You need to talk to Maylene. She's pretty upset over the entire ordeal."

Volkner forced the rubbery piece down his throat then grabbed his glass to watch the flavour away. "What am I supposed to say to her?" Darren's words regarding Maylene's feelings for him came to his mind. How was he supposed to look at her now with that knowledge in mind? From now on it was going to be awkward being around her. His relationship with her had changed.

Flint raised his eyebrows. "You seriously don't know? You know her better than I do, Volkner. She's your fellow gym leader. Don't you gym leaders catch up every now and then?"

"We do, but that doesn't mean we have to like it." _Whoops,_ he thought. That came out harsher than he had intended. "We usually meet up for business-related stuff, Flint. It's not exactly what I would call terribly exciting."

"Still, you should talk to her."

Did Flint know Volkner had a move on the girl? If he did, he was doing a fine job of hiding it. "Fine. I'll talk to her if it will get you off my case," he said with a roll of his eyes. Flint smirked, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll give some pizza to the other guys while you talk with Maylene." The Elite Four member stood up and walked out of the room, but stopped at the doorway and glanced over his shoulder. "You might want to clean up that mess by the way." He walked out.

Volkner thought about exiting the room, but he figured Flint tell Maylene now was a good time to chat. He made himself as comfortable as he could on the bed and waited for Maylene to enter. "I see you're feeling better," Maylene said, entering the room, closing the door behind her, a half-eaten pizza in her left hand.

He snorted. "As good as one can feel when recovering from a hangover," he replied curtly.

Maylene didn't sit down. Her eyes wandered over the mess Volkner had made then rested on his face again. "Making yourself at home, I see?"

"I'll clean it up after I've finished eating," he said, rising up from the bed. Right now he wanted to go to the toilet so he could flush the remains of the pizza. He moved towards her and she instinctively stepped backwards, her back brushing up against the wall. "Darren talked to me earlier while you and Flint were out. He told me something about last night."

"I was upset."

"I know what I did last night now, Maylene. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did."

She rolled her eyes and briefly looked to the side. "You're damn right you shouldn't have, but you weren't thinking straight were you? Were you hoping to score last night because I'm not one of those easy girls you can simply win over with a smile," she retorted.

He frowned. "Is that what you think of me? Just some guy looking around for a cheap thrill?"

She put her hands on her hips and glared. "Why else would you be at the casino flirting with barmaids and trying to get other girls drunk?"

"Do you really think so little of me?"

Her glare intensified. "I don't know what to think." A dry bitter laugh escaped her throat. "I don't know why I thought I could even help you. You are failing to see what this is about. You think saying sorry to me is going to fix everything? It's not that easy, Volkner."

"Then help me understand."

Maylene shook her head. "You'll never get it." She turned to exit the room and he reached out to grab her arm. She could've easily broken out of his grip, but she didn't and turned around to face him, her brows furrowed. "Volkner, let me go or I swear I'll call Cynthia now to take away your title."

His mouth curved into a smirk. "Somehow, I don't think you'll do that considering how much you want to help me. If you wanted me to lose my position as a gym leader you would've called Cynthia the moment you stormed out of that building." His grip tightened. "I know you care. About _me._ "

"We're both gym leaders; we look out for each other," Maylene replied, pulling her arm free from his grasp. "Whatever feelings you think I have for you are just that – they're assumptions, nothing more. I want you gone by midday, Volkner and don't let me catch you hanging around here again." She turned her back and exited the room leaving Volkner feeling like he had just received a knee between the legs. Somehow, he knew he had just driven a bigger wedge between them.

.

The entire population of Solaceon circled around the fighting area, highlighted by little coloured flags in the ground. Dawn counted at least twenty heads paying close attention to the battle currently taking place. Dawn had breezed her way through to the finals and Barry was about to deliver the final crushing blow against the opponent's Tauros. The Tauros was no match for Barry's battle-hardened Monferno. Monferno's Mach Punch attacked brought the Tauros to the ground, resulting in an easy victory for Barry. He threw his fists up into the air as the crowd applauded.

The host of the event, the man who had been taking the registrations at the cabin, walked to stand in the centre of the circle, raising his hands in the air calling for silence. "I have to say, that was one of the most intense battles I've ever witnessed take place in this tournament! Whaddya reckon?" The crowd cheered. "It all comes down to this battle – Dawn, Barry, are you ready to fight to win the title of Solaceon's Champion of two thousand and fourteen?"

Dawn stepped into the circle and stood opposite to Barry. The host took a few steps back until he was out of the flagged area. "Are you ready, Barry?"

"Are you?"

"The rules are the same as previous as rounds. You'll choose three Pokemon each and you'll battle until your opponent is unable to continue. You now have a few minutes to make some last minute preparations so choose wisely!"

Barry was examining his pokeballs working out which three to use and Dawn knew she had to choose hers carefully. He was undoubtedly going to use his mascot Pokemon, Monferno, for sure but his other two were a mystery. The boy had won his rounds using his Monferno probably to keep Dawn on her toes. Fortunately, she had only used one of her Pokemon to win her rounds, relying on her Grotle to obtain victory.

But what other Pokemon to use? Houndour had only just recovered so he couldn't be included. Relying on Deino probably wasn't a wise idea either considering the events of the past few days. She'd have to rely on her Gastly and Murkrow to battle should Grotle fall. Barry's Pokemon had probably all evolved to their second stages now and both Gastly and Murkrow were still on their first.

Gastly had to be close to evolving, but Murkrow needed a Dusk Stone to evolve. Wait, she thought. She had a dusk stone recalling a brief conversation she had with Cyrus back in Eterna City. He had given her the evolution item. Now was the perfect time to use it otherwise she'd be at a great disadvantage. She summoned her Murkrow then reached down into her bag for the special item. She found it on the bottom and picked it up, holding it before her Pokemon.

How the heck did this stone work? Did she have to hold it up in the air and wave it around in the air or speak a few magical words? The stone didn't come with instructions and she hadn't seen any manuals about evolution items in the shops. Murkrow however, seemed to know exactly what to do with the item. He perched on her left arm then tapped on the stone. A burning sensation erupted in her fingers and she dropped the item on the floor, fearing it was going to burst into flames. It exploded into rays of white light, so blinding she had to shield her eyes.

The crowd 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the pretty sight. The light disappeared shortly afterwards and in its place was a large avian bird with dark-blue plumage. The bird's white prominent crest of feathers on its chest reminded her of a wizard's beard. She brought out her Pokedex and held it before her new friend.

 _Honchkrow, the final evolution of Murkrow. It one utters a deep cry, many Murkrow gather quickly. For this, it is called "Summoner of Night."_

She put it away. What a sinister sounding title.

"All right trainers, I see you've made your final preparations. Let the battle begin!"

Barry nodded. "It was wise of you to evolve your Pokemon, but it won't be enough to defeat me! Go, Staravia!" Both birds took to the air, circling each other, awaiting orders from their trainers.

"And our competitors have chosen to start off the match in the air! Which feathered friend will obtain victory?"

Barry thrust a finger forward. "Staravia, use Wing Attack!" Staravia flapped its wings, sending forth many piercing feathered arrows.

"Dodge it, Honchkrow!" Honchkrow beat his wings to gain altitude then pinned his wings back and dived towards the ground. He raked his talons forward just before he hit the ground and somersaulted, narrowly missing the feathered arrows. The feathered arrows crashed into the ground. "Counter-attack!"

Honchkrow gained altitude again and chased after the other avian. Talons locked together as the birds engaged in a fearsome battle with their beaks. Honchkrow's larger form allowed him to gain the advantage and he was able to kick the Staravia in the chest before clamping his beak around his opponent's right wing.

"Staravia, use Wing Attack again!" Staravia recovered, and stretched its wings then brought them forward, sending forth another flurry of arrows. This time, Honchkrow was unable to avoid the blow. He was thrown off balance, but he managed to regain his composure. Barry thought he had the advantage, but he had yet to see Honchkrow's true aerial abilities. Murkrow's evasive training had paid off.

"Honchkrow, use Peck!" Honchkrow swooped and raked his talons forward to strike at Staravia's eyes, eliciting a pained cry from his smaller opponent. Temporarily blinded, Barry's Staravia was unable to see where it was flying and panicked. Honchkrow gained altitude again and dive bombed, throwing his entire weight, knocking the smaller bird out of the air. Staravia hurtled towards the ground and landed, sending clouds of sand up around it, shrouding itself in dirt. Honchkrow squawked in triumph, flying in circles above his fallen opponent.

Barry recalled his fallen Staravia and sent forth his second Pokemon, a small orange otter type creature with a two tails. Dawn brought out her Pokedex a second time to obtain data.

 _Buizel. It spins its two tails like a screw to propel itself through water. The tails also slice clinging seaweed._

She put it away. The otter didn't look to be much of a threat – after all, there was no water around for it to hide under.

"Buizel, use Water Gun!" Buizel looked up at the sky, puffed up his cheeks and opened them, launching a big ball of water up at Honchkrow at a lightning speed. The ball of water collided with her avian, dousing his feathers in liquid, bringing the bird to the ground. Soaking wet and unable to fly, Honchkrow was vulnerable on ground level.

Dawn muttered a curse and recalled her Honchkrow. She sent forth her second Pokemon, Gastly, knowing summoning Grotle would just prompt Barry to switch to his Monferno. "It's not over yet, Barry."

"Good because I'm just getting started! Buizel, use Pursuit!" Buizel puffed up his cheeks again, but instead of spitting a ball orb filled with water, he spat out an orb of dark energy. Dawn cursed inwardly. That was a move she hadn't anticipated. The ball of darkness enveloped her Gastly causing her Ghost-type Pokemon to vibrate violently in place. Fortunately, Buizel's attacking power was relatively weak and Gastly managed to endure it.

"Gastly, use Hypnosis!"

"Oh come on!"

Gastly swung from to side like a pendulum before Buizel, lulling the creature into a deep sleep. It flopped down onto its belly and curled up into a ball. "Now Gastly, use Night Shade!" Gastly vibrated, his purple flames brightening in colour, as a black fog rose up from the ground, shrouding them all in darkness. He moved forward through the low cloud and sunk his fangs into Buizel's neck sapping a great deal of health. The Buizel writhed in its sleep, but did not awaken. "Use Night Shade again, Gastly!" Once more Gastly bit down on the sleeping Buizel's exposed neck. The otter shuddered and groaned.

"I knew I should've packed some Awakenings…" Dawn heard Barry murmur.

"There's more to a battle than just landing attacks on your opponent, Barry. You have to have a strategy behind those attacks otherwise you'll lose," she pointed out. Buizel stopped flailing its limbs in various directions indicating to Dawn it had fainted. One more Pokemon to knock down and the Eevee egg would be hers to claim.

Gastly started to vibrate and Dawn knew he was evolving to the next level. She had witnessed the evolution phase twice already, but even so it was always amazing to witness an evolution occurring. White light encased her Pokemon and once again she shielded her eyes from the brightness. The dark fog disappeared. Seconds later the evolutionary light faded to reveal her Haunter. Haunter seemed delighted, throwing a smirk in Barry's direction.

He summoned his final Pokemon. Monferno. "Monferno, use Flame Wheel!"

Multiple embers left the Monferno's mouth, forming a ring around her Haunter. The embers moved upwards and clung to the ghost-type's body, burning him slowly. Dawn raised Haunter's pokeball up in the air and recalled him. She summoned Honchkrow to the battlefield again. The bird was no longer doused in water. "Finish this, Honchkrow! Use Wing Attack!" Honchkrow took to the air, hovered in place and flapped his wings aggressively to loosen feathers. Feathered arrows rained down on the ape below. Dawn learned during that brief moment fighting-types were incredibly weak to flying-type moves. Barry's Monferno groaned and flopped down onto the ground, its flames dying down.

The crowd, which had mostly remained silent during the match, erupted into loud applause. Barry recalled his Monferno and sighed. "I lost again? It goes to show my sure-fire winning strategy doesn't work…" He looked up giving Dawn a sheepish grin. "I guess I have to grind it out and toughen up the team a bit at a time. Anyway, you deserved the battle! I'm off to challenge Veilstone's gym leader next! See ya, Dawn! You'll be shocked by my growth the next time we met!" Before Dawn could convince him to stay for the celebrations, Barry raced off towards the Pokemon Centre.

"…I guess you're friend isn't staying around for the celebratory tucker?"

Dawn shook her head sadly. "No."

The host moved forward. "Well, the more for you then! That was a cracker of a battle and I reckon you'll go far! You've got what it takes to become the Champion!" He glanced over his shoulder and jerked his head towards Dawn. "Hey Bebe, come over 'ere and give our Champion her prize!"

A girl with blonde hair in a ponytail emerged from the crowd, cradling a green spotted egg in her arms. She stood before Dawn and held forth the egg. "This is an Eevee egg! Keep the egg safe and war and in a couple of days the egg will hatch! Do you know what Eevee evolution you want? There are seven reported types! It's even rumoured there's an eighth type available only in Kalos region! Your choices are as follows: Flareon, the fire-type, Vaporean, the water-type, Jolteon, the electric-type, Umbreon, the dark-type, Espeon, the psychic-type, Leafeon, the grass-type and Glaceon, the ice-type. Leafeon and Glaceon only evolve when exposed to a special stone found in the untamed wilderness. Umbreon only evolves at night-time and Espeon evolves during the day. You must have peak happiness for the Eevee to evolve though."

That was a lot of information to absorb, but Dawn didn't care too much since she already knew what Eevee she wanted. "I'm interested in a Vaporeon."

Bebe smiled. "Oh that's great! You can pick up a Water Stone in Pastoria City!" She handed the egg and Dawn took it, holding it against her chest, both arms underneath it. Walking around carrying an egg was going to be difficult – she wondered if there was an egg-carrying bag available to purchase somewhere in Veilstone. "Well, I'll be off! Take care!" The woman walked away.

"You are planning on staying around for a late arvo tucker?"

Dawn nodded, grinning. "Of course!"


	17. Worth Fighting For

Thanks to guest for reviewing previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Sixteen: Worth Fighting For**

Cyrus had returned from wherever he had been and Charon suspected it had something to do with Dawn. The Galactic grunts hadn't caught sight of her within the past few days and normally they'd catch a glimpse of her. Cyrus's unexpected temporary absence had allowed Charon to work on putting his plan into motion. Mars and Jupiter had agreed to act as double agents and all that remained now was to find someone to deal with the annoying pest, Dawn.

There was Saturn, but the boy was so devoted to Cyrus, he'd sell out Charon's plans to the boss without question. Charon needed someone outside Team Galactic to deal with Dawn and he'd offer a great deal of money to the person who achieved the task. Cyrus could not know. Charon used his fake alias 'Pluto' and put an advertisement out on the black market website. Dealers exchanged goods, but also services for money.

After making a fake profile, Charon browsed the names of the other dealers. Some of the names he was familiar with – Archer, the current boss of Team Rocket and Ghetsis, the current boss of Team Plasma. They were both involved in illegal trades for different purposes, but the end result was always the same – creating chaos. He continued scrolling through the names until he came across 'Hunter J'. A female criminal? _Interesting,_ he thought.

The woman identified herself as a hunter of Pokemon, but would track down trainers if the money was high enough. Such simplistic goals, thought Charon. The woman was motivated by greed like the criminals of the Johto and Kanto region. She was the perfect person to carry out the task of removing Dawn from the world. People like her with simple-minded goals would do anything for a few dollars.

He found her email address and clicked on it, bringing up his own email account. He started typing.

 _Hunter J,_

 _I have an offer for you I'm sure you will not refuse. There is a trainer called Dawn I would like to see dealt with permanently. In exchange, I will offer you a large sum of money. Meet me behind the casino in Veilstone City at midnight tonight._

 _Pluto_

He clicked 'send'. He had no doubt the woman would show up – greed drove people to extreme lengths. All he had to do now was pretend he was working on Galactic business then sneak out to meet up with Hunter J. He made sure to bring a briefcase filled with counterfeited notes – he did not intend to give a stranger real notes. That would be foolish. Hopefully, the woman would not be able to tell the difference.

.

It was dark by the time Dawn reached Veilstone City and she couldn't have arrived at a worst moment. There were crowds of people walking up and down the streets, swaying from side to side, holding drink bottles in their hands saying words Dawn didn't recognize. Although it was night time now, it felt like it was day time since the street lights were so bright.

A group of girls staggered out of a building, red in the faces, dressed in clothes Dawn didn't think was quite appropriate. She had seen some pretty revealing clothes before but this was something different. One of the girls stumbled down the stairs, laughing, not at all bothered by the tumble. Dawn averted her eyes – she was here for a gym battle, not to watch the locals make fools of themselves.

Unfortunately, the gym wasn't open right now as gyms closed before dark so she headed towards the department store to update her team's moves and stock up on some supplies. The department store was easy to find – it was a grey brick building about five storeys high that towered over the rest. It was also situated on a gentle sloping hill making it rather easy to spot. Dawn headed over, thankful to get away from the strange people she saw earlier. Jubilife had been a busy place, but Veilstone seemed to emit a different type of 'busy' vibe. People weren't here for business reasons that much was certain.

Thankfully, the store was open. She spotted a couple of other trainers exiting the building carrying large plastic bags with them, filled with an assortment of items. She glanced down at her bag then reached a hand inside, digging out her purse to count her notes. She pulled it out, opened it and started counting. "One hundred… two hundred… three hundred…" she started, flipping through her notes. She continued to count until she reached thirty thousand dollars. "Thirty thousand dollars."

Thirty thousand was a lot of money and would certainly buy her some decent items. It had been quite a couple of months since she last went on a shopping spree and now seemed like the perfect time to shop. After all, Veilstone was rumoured to have the best items available in the region. She stepped inside and immediately was taken aback by how big the place was. It was packed with trainers walking up and down aisles, grabbing random items of the shelves and sticking them in their shopping baskets.

Dawn helped herself to a basket and headed over to the department directory. "B1F, Contest Tools. G, Ground Floor, Entrance and Exit. 1F, Trainer's Zone and Masks. 2F, Battle Collection. 3F, TM Corner. 4F, Poke Dolls and Goods and 5F, Rooftop Plaza," she read aloud. There were many items available to purchase and she could easily spend an entire day browsing the aisles, but she knew she had to progress on her journey.

She considered taking the elevator to reach the technical machine Corner, but there was a lengthy queue of people waiting. She decided to take the stairs instead, knowing she'd reach the third floor before the people in the queue would. The moment she started walking up the stairs, she began to regret it after reading a sign stuck on the nearby wall. "One hundred steps to the top level!" she read aloud. Now she could understand why people preferred to wait in the queue rather than tackle the staircase.

"Think of this as a training exercise," she said to herself, taking in a deep breath before taking the first step. "Remember, Dawn, the key is to keep on breathing," she added. Taking the lift was the quicker option, but the thought of having to wait in line for ages did not appeal to her. This was the lesser of two evils.

.

Night had fallen and Charon had managed to sneak out undetected. Cyrus was busy in his office and the other grunts were preoccupied with a DVD Cyrus had forced them to watch about the legendary Pokemon of Sinnoh. Charon wasn't even sure why Cyrus even bothered – the grunts couldn't comprehend the complexity behind them. Still, it made sneaking out much easier.

He headed towards the back alley of the casino and waited near a dumpster, waiting for Hunter J to show up. It was past midnight now and the woman had still not arrived. Perhaps she was smarter than he had thought. All doubt was erased from his mind though as a woman approached him, wrapping her black coat around her.

Charon would be lying to himself if he didn't find the woman to be intimidating. He wasn't what he'd refer to as 'attractive woman' in a general sense, but there was a sort of aura around her that pulled him in. He couldn't avert his gaze – her face was hard, but her eyes betrayed a sense of murderous lust. "You must be Hunter J?"

"And you must be Pluto," she replied placidly. "You have an offer me? How much are we talking?"

Charon held up a briefcase. "You can have all the money in this briefcase." He handed it over to her so the woman could see it for herself. She opened it, her eyes widening at the sight of the notes. Reaching down, she picked up a handful and held it to her nose, breathing in the scent. He hoped she wasn't well versed in counterfeit money, but that would be rare for a criminal.

"Counterfeit money…" She chuckled, although her eyes held no humour. "You can't fool someone like me, Pluto. If you want me to carry out this task, I want the real deal otherwise I will hunt you down and have you killed." It wasn't a threat – it was a promise. For once, Charon was actually concerned. The boss never scared him, but this lady was something else. "Let's talk values, shall we?" She handed the briefcase back.

Charon took it. "How much?"

"You want me to 'permanently deal' with a little bratty trainer. You're asking me to deal with a child which I find somewhat insulting, but if the money offer is good, I will take it. I want two billion dollars in cash. Nothing less."

Two billion dollars in cash? His eyes almost popped out of his head. He didn't have that money on him, but Cyrus did. Now he had another reason to ensure Cyrus met his demise in the Distortion World so he could collect the boss' money. "Fine."

She raised an eyebrow. "It makes me wonder where you'll get the money from…. but I don't care how you get it as long as you give me money when I complete this task." She glanced down at her nails then looked up again. "What does the brat look like?"

"Female, youthful and has blue hair. Pretty hard to miss."

"You say her name is Dawn?"

"Yes."

"Why do you want her out of the way so bad? What harm can a child possibly do?"

"More than you possibly imagine. You stay out of my schemes and I'll stay out of yours, Hunter J. Do we have a deal?"

She chuckled. "Perhaps there's more to you than what meets the eye, Pluto. You fascinate me… Very well. I will deal with the child, but if you fail to uphold your end of the bargain, you will be the next person to be 'permanently dealt with'," she said curtly. "I will contact you by email when the task is complete. Do not contact me until then." She turned around, retreating into the streets.

Charon let out a sigh. Hunter J thought she was in control of the situation, but she couldn't be further from the truth. He smirked to himself and made his way back towards the headquarters. The world would be his to control in due time.

.

After spending a few thousand dollars on items, Dawn made her way to the gym, stopping by the Pokemon Centre briefly to update her Pokemon's moves. It had been quite a fair bit of time since her Pokemon had learned anything new and she figured it was time to update. After spending at least an hour deciding on new moves, Dawn was finally happy with her choices. She glanced down at the document outlining the new look of her team.

Grotle lvl 28

Curse, Razor Leaf, Mega Drain and Solarbeam

Honchkrow lvl 27

Night Slash, Wing Attack, Pursuit and Swagger

Haunter lvl 26

Night Shade, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray and Shadow Punch

Deino lvl 22

Dragon Rage, Bite, Headbutt and Dragonbreath

Houndour lvl 20 (received at level 20)

Fire Blast, Bite, Smog and Ember

Grotle, Honchkrow and Haunter were levelling up well, but she knew she had to focus the same efforts on Deino and newly obtained Houndour to ensure her team was balanced. The thought of using Deino again was a little nerve-wrecking – Deino's bite had caused her to end up in hospital – but it had to be done. She wasn't quite sure how Houndour would react to a new master as well and hoped the canine would obey her.

She pushed the doors to the gym open and stepped inside, her jaw dropping at the sight before her. It was like she had walked into an obstacle course of some kind. There were four boxing rings; each with a trainer standing in the centre, but reaching each ring was going to be a real challenge physically. Punching bags and stacked tyres blocked the way. Walking up the flight of stairs at the department shop seemed quite appealing now.

"Hey trainer!"

She turned around spotting the gym advisor. He was dressed in fighting robes and wore red boxing gloves. "Hello."

"If you haven't already guessed, this is the fighting-type gym!" He made a grunting noise and punched the air then lowered his hands. "You're going to have to fight your way through here! This is a gym that is designed to determine whether or not the challenger has the strength to overcome the challenges life presents!" He pointed to a table nearby. Dawn glanced over and spotted two black boxing gloves. "You'll have to put them on otherwise you're going to break your knuckles."

She wondered over and picked up the first glove and slipped her left hand into it. It felt weird having to wear one. Why couldn't this be a karate-based gym instead? Putting on the second glove was hard – these boxing gloves were simply not designed to do anything other than punching things. Perhaps she was supposed to walk around with one glove on only. She put the second glove back on the table. "I don't need both gloves, do I?"

The advisor grinned. "Some trainers like taking both, but it's up to you. Whatever is easier." He leaned in forward. "Most of the battles here will be double and triple battles, so you want to make sure your Pokemon are well-versed in working together as a team." He pulled back. "Good luck, trainer! Remember, fighting-type Pokemon are strong against dark-types, but weak against flying-types!" He saluted her and Dawn made her way to the first ring. Fortunately, this one didn't require punching, but she did have to climb over some tyres. It looked easy upon first glance until she actually attempted to climb the stack. It proved to be more tiring than she originally thought, but she managed to make it, straining every muscle to overcome the obstacle. By the time she reached the end, she wondered if she'd have any strength left to fight.

She approached the first trainer, a male dressed in a white robe, who bowed as a greeting. "My name is Darren, and I'm the eldest of my brothers. Are you ready to face me, trainer?" She noticed three pokeballs attached to his pokebelt. Triple-battle time. The gym advisor had said fighting-types were good against dark-types rendering half her team as ineffective. Fortunately, she did have speedy Honchkrow who had an aerial attack who could hopefully make short work of the black belts.

"Ready." She summoned her Grotle, Honchkrow and Haunter to take the first battle.

Darren summoned his three Pokemon, three humanoid Pokemon with bulging muscles. The middle Pokemon was a bipedal creature with gray skin that she recognized as Machop, and the larger two standing on either side, had purple skin. She suspected the other two was the second stage of Machop's evolution line, but to be sure she brought out her Pokedex.

 _Machoke. The evolution of Machop. It happily carries heavy cargo to toughen up. It willingly does hard work for people._

 _Sounded like a good Pokemon to have to take care of the heavy lifting at home,_ Dawn thought. She made her move first. "Honchkrow, use Wing Attack! Haunter, use Shadow Punch! Grotle, use Razor Leaf!"

Honchkrow took to the air, flew around in a circle about the right Machoke's head, thrust his wings forward, sending a flurry of feathers arrows down upon the Machoke's head. The Machoke, despite looking incredibly tough, fainted immediately. Haunter floated forward, held his right claw back until it emanated a black glow then drove it forward, hitting the Machop in the face. Machop staggered backwards, but remained on his feet. Grotle wriggled his back, causing the two bushes on his back to sway back and forth then lunged forward, hurling leaves at the other Machoke. The leaves struck his chest, but he did not fall.

"Machoke, use Low Sweep! Machop, use Karate Chop!" Machoke lowered his head and rushed forward then dropped to the ground. Using his left hand to support his weight, the Machoke swung both his legs at Grotle, kicking the tortoise in the side of his body, flipping the tortoise onto his back. Grotle wriggled his legs, and used a Razor Leaf to flip him back over. Machop dashed forward and jumped into the air, bringing a hand down to strike at Honchkrow's belly. The avian squawked, but little damage had been done.

"Honchkrow, use Wing Attack again! Haunter, Shadow Punch! Grotle, use Mega Drain!" Honchkrow sent forth another flurry of arrows, this time hitting the other Machoke. The arrows struck him in the face, knocked him backwards, a low groan escaping the Machoke's mouth. He did not get back up again. Her remaining two Pokemon launched their attacks, bringing the Machop to a fainting state.

Darren looked at his three fainted Pokemon then bowed his head in respect. "You did well, my friends." He looked back up again and nodded at Dawn. "Make your way to the next ring. Always fight for what you believe in. I fight for love. Some believe power is the opposite of love, but love is power." He stepped aside, allowing Dawn to walk down the stairs on the opposite side of the ring.

A mini obstacle course blocked her way. It consisted of two stacked sets of three tyres and two punching bags. She wondered over and prepared to conquer the course, hoping she'd have enough energy left to take on the rest of the gym. Having to redo this again was a scary thought. She climbed over the first of tyres and jumped down on the other side to come face-to-face with the first punching bag.

There was a note stuck to it from a trainer. She read it out aloud. "This punching bag is linked to the other tyre stack. Punch it hard enough and you'll be able to knock it down. This is the only way to get past. Good luck trainer, from Maylene." Dawn took in a deep breath then punched the bag as hard as she could. The moment her glove collided with the bag, she let out a hiss, withdrawing her hand immediately, feeling pain travelling up her arm.

 _Ouch,_ she thought, wincing. She tried again. The bag moved a little more this time, but the tyre stack remained standing. Dawn was beginning to hate this gym. She punched a third time, releasing an annoyed grunt as her glove collided with the bag. This time, the bag swung back and forth, resulting in the tyre stack collapsing. She moved forward, hopped over the fallen tyre stack and faced her second punching bag. This bag blocked a pathway leading to the next ring. "This punching bag blocks the pathway to the second ring. Punch it hard enough and it wall fall down allowing you pass."

 _Another bag to punch,_ she thought grimly. She was looking forward to reaching the end so she could punish Maylene for designing a physically exhausting and painful gym. She punched the punching bag with all her might, eliciting another loud grunt of fury. Vocalising while hitting things seemed to really help. The bag dropped down. She stepped over it and walked up the stairs to the second ring. The second brother's eyes met hers.

"My name is Jeffery and I'm the youngest of the brothers. You have done well to make it here, but do you have the strength to continue? I will test your strength. Let us battle." He had two pokeballs attached to his belt. Double-battle. This time Dawn decided to try out her new Houndour along with Honchkrow. Jeffery summoned his Pokemon – a Machoke and a blue humanoid, bipedal Pokemon with large white head. The Pokemon was sitting on the floor, his legs crossed, as if he were meditating.

She brought out her Pokedex again.

 _Meditite. It always trains deep in mountains. It levitates when it heightens its spiritual power through meditation._

She put the Pokedex away and brought out her Pokemon. Honchkrow looked eager to fight again, but her Houndour seemed nervous and unsure of himself. The canine rushed over to Dawn's side and hid behind her, peeking around her left leg. "It's all right Houndour," Dawn said soothingly, bending down to the scratch the canine behind his ears. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I won't abandon you." Houndour didn't look so sure but stepped out from behind her legs.

"Let the battle commence!"

"Honchkrow, use Wing Attack! Houndour, use Ember!" Honchkrow's feathered arrows struck the Machoke square in the chest, knocking the imposing Pokemon over onto his backside. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Houndour opened his jaws and spat forth a small orb of fire. The orb hit the Meditite on his head. The Meditite rose to its feet.

"Meditite, use Confusion!" A pink beam of energy exited the Pokemon's eyes, striking Houndour in his face.

Houndour jumped back, swatted his nose then growled. The move didn't appear to do any damage at all, other than give her canine an itch on his face. "Honchkrow, finish this off with another Wing Attack!" Honchkrow did as commanded and flapped his wings furiously, allowing more feathered arrows to plummet to the ground to strike at the remaining opponent. Meditite fainted.

Jeffery bowed his head in the same manner as Darren had. "There is more to battling than pure strength alone. I fight for courage. You must have courage to face the difficult trials that lie ahead. Go now, and make your way to do battle in the third ring." He stepped aside and Dawn walked down the stairs.

The third ring consisted of two sets of five stacked tyres and three punching bags. She wondered over and read the note on the first bag. "This punching bag is linked to one of the stacked tyres. It'll take you a couple of hits to knock this tyre stack down so give it everything you've got!" Harder to knock down? Great, she thought bitterly. Her left arm was going to be sore for a couple of days.

She punched the bag several times over, ignoring the pain running through her arm, until the first set of tyres collapsed. She made her way through the tyres then stopped at the second bag. "Are you feeling the burn yet? One of these punching bags links to the second tyre stack, but which one? You may need to hit both if you fail to choose the right one on your first attempt."

 _Arceus' breath,_ she thought. She was beginning to think her arm was going to fall off at the rate she was going. Hearthome had been a horrible experience, but this was so much worse in a different sense. Grunting and straining, Dawn punched at the first punching bag, but stopped when she noticed nothing was happening. Panting now, she moved her attention to the second one and focused her anger on destroying the second bag. The tyre stack collapsed and she was able to move to the third ring.

Her patience was beginning to wear thin at this point. If she had to endure another obstacle course, she was surely going to lose her mind. The third black belt greeted her with a bow. "My name is Raphael and I am the second youngest brother. You have endured much to reach me, but do you have enough energy left to make the last few steps? Show me you have what it takes."

She summoned her Honchkrow, wanting nothing more than to reach the end. Raphael summoned one Pokemon, a Meditite, and Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. The last Meditite had fallen quickly – this one would be no different. "Go Honchkrow, use Wing Attack!" Honchkrow squawked, beat his wings together, sending forth arrows. The Meditite was defenceless and quickly fell as Dawn had predicted. Raphael didn't seem at all phased, like he had been expecting this defeat.

"I fight for tears. Do not feel ashamed of your tears. Tears are words the mouth cannot say nor can the heart bear."

Each of the parting comments the trainers made felt like a lesson of some sort. Love, courage and now tears… it sounded like the qualities and traits a trainer should have to excel in life. She wondered what the final trainer represented. Fortunately, the road to the final trainer was less strenuous than earlier – there were no punching bags fortunately. Climbing over the remaining stacks of tyres was tiring, but she managed to survive it and found herself walking up the stairs of the final ring.

"My name is Colby. I am the last of the brothers and the strongest. Without further ado, let us fight! Show me you have what it takes to carry on your journey as a trainer." There were three pokeballs on his belt. Triple-battle time. Dawn summoned her starting battlers again – Honchkrow, Grotle and Haunter. Colby brought out three Machokes. This battle was as easy as the first round since the selection of Pokemon was basically identical. Honchkrow's Wing Attack took out one Machoke with one hit, while Grotle and Haunter worked together to take down the second one, leaving one Machoke left. Colby's Machoke used Karate Chop to knock Haunter out of the air before Honchkrow ended the battle with Wing Attack once more.

"We did it!" Dawn cheered, thankful she was almost finished with this gym. Only one battle remained and that was against Maylene. If Maylene used a Machoke and a Meditite then she knew it was all over for the leader.

Colby bowed. "I fight for hope. You will face many tough battles throughout your life, and there'll be times when you feel liking giving up. When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. The lessons you have learned here today are what make a fine trainer. Go now, and face our leader and may you find success." Colby moved aside. Dawn walked down the steps and looked towards the final obstacle standing in the way of her fourth badge.

Maylene. The girl was around her height, and wore a hard expression on her face. She didn't seem like the type of person Dawn wanted to cross paths with on a bad day. Taking in a deep breath, she approached the leader. Maylene smiled. "Hello, I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Maylene, and I'm the gym leader. I fight for a combination of reasons – for love, for courage, for tears and for hope. Today, I will test you to determine if you have the strength to progress further on your journey. I'm ready when you are!"

Dawn took in another breath.

.

Cynthia sat across from the table, her right leg crossed over her left, as she waited for Steven to arrive. The former Champion of Hoenn had claimed he had something important to discuss with Cynthia regarding Team Galactic's visions and had gone ahead to place a reservation for two. Cynthia wasn't too keen on sharing the same room since she had gotten accustomed to having her own privacy, but there were no other rooms available at the time. At least there were two beds.

One of the waitresses came over. Cynthia noted her arms were trembling and the girl kept darting her eyes around the room, as if afraid to lock eyes with the Champion. She stood in front of Cynthia and gazed down at the floor. "Cynth-I mean, Champion of Sinnoh," she stuttered.

"It's all right, you may call me by my name and not my title," Cynthia said warmly.

The girl jerked her head up, surprised. "But that is not how we were taught to address important trainers," she blurted. She then covered her hands, face flushing with embarrassment at her sudden outburst.

Cynthia smiled. "I am a trainer, like any other person. I do not hold myself above anyone else despite what my title may imply. Please, tell me what is on your mind."

"A man has arrived, but he did not share his name. He wishes to speak with you." She leaned in forward and dropped her tone to a whisper. "I would advise against it. There are dangerous times with those criminals about and this man might be part of the Galactic organization. I would never forgive myself if you were injured." The waitress drew back, pushing her brown curls away from her dark eyes. Cynthia spotted her nametag on her uniform. Mary.

"I have my Pokemon with me, Mary. I will be perfectly fine. Send him in."

The waitress nodded grimly and turned away to allow the mysterious man inside. Someone wanted to contact her? She dropped a hand to the belt around her waist just encase this turned out to be a problem with the Galactic grunts. A few moments later a man wearing a black coat entered, his eyes darting around suspiciously as if he feared an attack. He sat down across from Cynthia, but did not smile.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Cynthia asked.

He nodded. "My name is Looker. I am a member of the International Police. Perhaps you have heard of me?"

Cynthia recalled Dawn mentioning the name before believing she was associated with them somehow. Cynthia shook her head. "Sorry, the name isn't familiar with me."

The man's eyes arched up. "You have not heard of me? No no no, how can this be that the Champion herself does not know of me?"

Cynthia wasn't sure how to respond. The man seemed a little unstable. How did someone like this make it into the International Police? Heck, what was the International Police anyway? She wasn't aware there was even a global security force outside the league and gym leaders. "Why have you come?"

"You are aware of Team Galactic, are you not? They are criminals stealing the Pokemon of others. I have, therefore, been investigating the situation at hand."

"I am aware of Team Galactic."

He nodded. "Good, good, that is good indeed. They must be stopped at once! I have found their hideout and it lies in Veilstone City. Was it not you who signed the contract to allow them to establish themselves in this city?" Cynthia didn't anything. "Ah, nevermind. The criminals will be stopped as they always are."

"Okay…" Cynthia replied slowly. "Thanks for informing me."

Looker smiled. "Do not thank me, Champion, no no no! It is my duty to assist in these crime-related matters." He glanced down at his watch and almost jumped in his seat. "I regret to announce, but I must depart! I sense trouble on the horizon and therefore I must investigate! Farewell, Champion." Looker stood up and exited the room, leaving Cynthia feeling rather confused. He seemed like a nice guy, but a little too eccentric for her tastes.

She was alone again. It was hard to believe all the rooms had been booked out when there was no one else present in the dining hall. Perhaps they were busy spending time down on the golden beaches on the route to Sunyshore? Fortunately, she wasn't alone for much longer as Steven entered. Steven had opted to wear a black suit making Cynthia feeling quite informal in comparison.

Steven took his seat across from Cynthia and cleared his throat. "I apologize for being late. There were a few issues with the ship, but I'm here now and that's all that matters. I've been looking into what you told me earlier about Team Galactic and I came across some interesting information."

"What did you find?"

Steven reached down into his bags and grabbed a couple of papers. He sat upright again and laid the documents down on the table. There was so much paperwork Cynthia was reminded of the pile sitting on her desk at the league. "You mentioned you believe Dawn was in danger from Team Galactic and I agree you are correct in that assumption."

"I knew it," Cynthia said quickly. "Cyrus. He's the man in charge of Team Galactic and he wants to use Dawn." No wonder her grandmother despised him so much. She was half-tempted to stand up now to hunt down Cyrus and throw him behind bars. She now knew enough to prove his guilt.

"Yes… and no," Steven said.

"What?"

Steven cleared his throat again. "You mentioned Team Galactic are interested in finding alternative energy sources to create a new universe, right? I went back home and researched the matter further and discovered something I overlooked earlier – the importance of the legendary Pokemon of Sinnoh." He pointed at the papers on the table. "I spent days looking into it, trying to understand the link between Galactic, energy sources and legendary Pokemon, when it finally clicked!"

Cynthia wished she shared his excitement, but she was lost. "You're trying to tell me there's a link between the Lake Guardians and the Creation Duo, Dialga and Palkia?"

"Correction, Creation Trio. The world had to start from something, right? Arceus is the God of Pokemon, but he did not shape the world as we know it. He created the Creation Trio, Dialga, the creator of time, Palkia, the creator of space and finally Giratina, the creator of anti-matter. Giratina has the power to create a new universe from nothing."

Cynthia frowned. "I've never heard of Giratina before."

"Of course you haven't. Giratina lives in a different realm, the one Ghost-type trainers refer to as the Spirit World, but the author refers to it as the Distortion World. That is why you do not hear the name mentioned in many books, but someone crossed paths with this Pokemon and gave him the name," Steven said, pointing at the papers on the table. "It was difficult to find, but I managed to track down the publisher's name by gaining access into restricted files. Being a former Champion has its benefits you know."

"You took a big risk… former Champion or not, you have broken a law."

Steven shrugged. "If it takes breaking the law to save a region, I'm willing to do it." He pointed to the papers again. "You know how a man called Pluto was fired from Silph Co many years ago for looking into Pokemon enslavement?"

"It was all over the news for years. I remember hearing about it when I was child."

"Pluto is a fake alias. His real name is Charon."

Cynthia raised her eyebrows. "How?"

Steven shuffled in his chair and leaned forward. He pulled out another piece of paper and directed Cynthia's attention towards it. "I asked one of the computer experts at Devon to track him down. It was hard, but we found something interesting. Charon works for Team Galactic." He pulled back. "What do you think? Impressed?"

Cynthia was in awe. She had to admit, this was impressive information. "You suspect Galactic are trying to enslave the legendaries then to… what? Capture Giratina? But how? You mentioned Giratina lives in the Spirit World." The former Champion of Hoenn pulled out a few more documents and handed them to Cynthia. She pulled them out of the folder and skimmed through the text. Steven had drawn up a chart of the legendaries of Sinnoh, linking them back to Team Galactic's circle.

"The gems the Lake Guardian creatures have in them can be removed. When those three gems come together, they form a special item that can be used to summon Dialga and Palkia to open a rift to the Spirit World, allowing a non-walker to enter the realm. Extracting the gems is difficult and requires highly advanced equipment to achieve it. That's where Team Galactic come in. They have the technology to make the impossible possible."

"How does Cyrus tie into this then?"

"Cyrus started up Galactic to continue his father's work. Somewhere along the road, he crossed paths with Charon, the person who discovered Giratina. I suspect Charon knows something about Giratina he did not share with anyone and is using Cyrus to help him achieve that goal."

She rubbed her chin, biting down on her lip, giving Steven a worried look. "Cyrus talked to me awhile back… He mentioned something about removing the world of spirit claiming emotions make people weak…" she said slowly, furrowing her brows. "He wants to create a new universe… and remove spirit… But why?"

"Do you remember what I told you about his childhood?"

She nodded. "It wasn't pleasant."

"Exactly! This is his twisted perception of justice. If you were wronged and you had a chance to erase that part of your history to forget the pain, would you take it?" Steven said, looking at Cynthia intently. "Charon convinced Cyrus he could help, but certain steps would have to be taken. Capturing the legendaries is the first step."

"That seems a little far-fetched don't you think? Cyrus strikes me as the type of person who knows exactly what he is doing." The last time she crossed paths with him he certainly seemed quite sure of himself. "He would not have started up Galactic without some sort of sinister ambition. Have we not learned anything from history?"

Steven shook his head. "He's emotionally unstable, Cynthia. It would be easy for someone else to take advantage of that for their own benefit and convince a wounded person there is a way to make things better. If you could get away with performing a crime by blaming it on somebody else would you not take it?"

Cynthia rubbed her temples. He had raised some good points and now his research had changed her entire perspective on Galactic. At first she had assumed Cyrus was the typical criminal leader determined to destroy the world for selfish means, but now she saw it in a different light. He actually believed he was doing the right thing and that was dangerous. Charon's true intentions remained mystery however – if there was any chance of taking him down there was only one person who knew enough about the man to help. Cyrus wouldn't surrender willingly without putting up a fight though.

"Should we not focus our efforts on Charon then? If he is the true mastermind here, he is the one who poses a much bigger threat."

Steven shook his head. "Cyrus is the leader of Galactic. If he falls, the company falls with him. Eliminating Charon now would not change a thing – Cyrus would still attempt to carry out his plan."

But was it even possible to reason with someone so mentally broken? He was a danger to everyone, including himself. She sank back in her chair. Had Dawn figured out her relation to Cyrus and if she had, how did she feel about it? She had to reach Dawn and inform the trainer everything Steven had told her before the girl encountered her father. Dawn could be what determined whether or not her father would open the rift to the Distortion World. Perhaps she could talk him down, but only if Cynthia reached her first.

"Cynthia?"

Cynthia pulled out of her thoughts. "And what should I do when I find him? I can't imagine he's going to listen to reason after everything he's been through to get to this point. The residents of Sinnoh will want justice and they'll cast their blame on Cyrus, not Charon."

"You are the Champion, Cynthia. You have authority above everyone else – his fate rests in your hands. Will you lend your hand to a broken man in need of help or will you abandon him to a grisly fate as justice for the crimes he has committed?"


	18. A Matter of Time

Thanks to a guest for leaving a review on the last chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Seventeen: A Matter of Time**

Maylene's first two Pokemon were knocked out of the battle within a few seconds leaving Dawn to wonder how the girl had even made it as a gym leader in the first place, but doubt was erased from her mind the moment Lucario entered the battlefield. The Pokemon moved much faster than any other Pokemon she had ever encountered – Lucario moved so quickly, his movements were a blur to her eye.

She started to sweat. So much for an easy battle, she thought. Her team of five had been knocked down to one. Only Grotle managed to endure the Lucario's speedy and hard hitting attacks. Maylene was smiling; the gym leader hadn't broken a sweat the entire match. She looked calm and composed as if she already knew she had won the battle.

"Lucario, use Drain Punch!" The blue canine Pokemon dashed forward, driving a fist into Grotle's face. Grotle held his ground, but he was temporarily dazed from the attack, unable to move for a few moments. The battle wounds Lucario had received earlier on in the match disappeared as if the canine hadn't been injured at all. Dawn clenched her jaw. Lucario's Drain Punch sapped energy from opponents to heal its own health while inflicting serious damage. How could a battle like this be won if her Lucario could heal after every attack?

Evasive moves were out of the question since Grotle was far too slow and his moves did little damage against Lucario. Grotle's vastly inferior speed made it virtually impossible to attack his opponent who simply avoided any attack by rolling or leaping out of the way. She thought hard. Grotle's sturdy shell was the only reason she hadn't lost the match yet. Perhaps… A smile crossed her face as an idea formed in her mind.

Lucario might have had the speed advantage, but he couldn't keep it up forever. Sooner or later he was going to collapse from exhaustion – even the most athletic of Pokemon could tire. As long as Grotle's defence held, there was no possible way Lucario could win. Was Maylene aware of her Pokemon's fatal flaw? Dawn assumed she wasn't. The gym leader probably assumed the fitness of her Pokemon could endure anything.

"Grotle, use Curse!" Grotle tucked his limbs, tail and head into his shell and remained in that position, unmoving. Maylene raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak. Dawn hoped her strategy would work – this was the first time she had actually played the defensive role, preferring the offensive style of battling.

"Lucario, use Bone Rush!" Lucario stuck a finger down his throat and gagged, forcing up a bone from his stomach. He plucked out the bone and hurled it at Grotle's head area, as if it were a boomerang, trying to force Grotle to appear. The bone rebounded, returning to Lucario's paws and the canine repeated the cycle. To Grotle's credit, he did not emerge from the safety of his shell.

"Hang in there, Grotle! Use Curse again!" Grotle's shell hardened, lessening the damage of Lucario's attacks per round. Lucario's bone trick hardly dented the shell, but the Pokemon still seemed determined to break through the hard exterior.

A muscle jerked in Maylene's jaw. "This is a fight! Battle me!"

Dawn smiled. "I know it's a fight, but there's more to battling than relying on making all your attacks hit!" Lucario continued to attack, but Grotle's shell was impenetrable. There wasn't even a scratch. "You're tough Maylene, but even the toughest of opponents can fall!"

"You're not even attacking me! How do you propose to win if you never hit my Pokemon?" Maylene countered, as Lucario threw his bone for the third time. Once again, the bone rebounded, leaving not a single mark behind. Her Pokemon was beginning to show the typical signs of exhaustion. His moves are no longer as quick as earlier and his aim could no longer hit the designated target area. He was panting. Perfect, Dawn thought. Her strategy to wear her opponent out was working.

"Grotle, use Solarbeam!" Although Grass-type moves did little damage against a Lucario, Maylene's battling partner was so exhausted now, any move would inflict a great deal of damage. A bright green light began to emanate from his twin bushes, drawing in energy from the sun. The entire building shook. The windows vibrated until the glass shattered, spilling across the floor, in hundreds of little shards. A hole in the roof appeared as the tiles tore away, allowing the sun's rays to fall upon Grotle's tree. His tree shook violently as it absorbed the energy into its roots.

Maylene looked on in awe. "I'm in a bit of a bind, aren't I?" she murmured. "I have to give it to you, challenger. You're much tougher than you look, but this battle isn't over yet. Lucario, use Force Palm Lucario took a running leap and jumped up high then crashed down to the ground, slamming his fists down onto Grotle's back. Grotle shook and Dawn thought she saw a crack in her partner's shell, but it was hard to tell from her current angle.

Lucario jumped back and returned to his original position, huffing and puffing, looking like he had just competed in one of the courses in the Pokeathlon Dome in Johto. Grotle opened his mouth and a green beam shot forth at lightning speed, even the agile Lucario could not avoid it in time. He was struck directly in the chest, forcing the Pokemon back into a pile of stacked tyres. The power of the beam was so overwhelming that it caused the ground to shake, causing both Dawn and Maylene to be knocked off their feet.

The ground stopped shaking after about a minute or so and Maylene climbed to her feet then assisted Dawn. Accepting Maylene's hand, Dawn picked herself up and looked around the gym, examining the damage. Shards of broken glass lay across the ground, mixed in with various pieces of debris. _Note to self,_ she told herself. Do not use Solarbeam indoors again. "Sorry," she said sheepishly.

Maylene just grinned, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "That… was incredible!" she exclaimed, looking around the room, observing the damage.

Dawn caught the closest brother tying one end of the rope to one of the posts that had fallen off during Grotle's Solarbeam attack. Seeing the damage now, she wondered how much worse it would be if a natural disaster move like Earthquake or Surf had been used. Maylene glanced over her shoulder, looking in the direction of her Lucario. Her Pokemon remained buried underneath.

"I shall admit defeat… You are much too strong." She turned away from Dawn and hurried over to remove the tyres then returned her Pokemon to safety. With Lucario now back in his pokeball, Maylene turned back to Dawn, bringing a hand down to a pocket. She pulled it back out and handed Dawn a shiny badge resembling bricks. "That was a tough loss, but I learned a lot from it. Please, accept this gym badge."

Dawn took the badge and placed it in her bag. "I thought I was going to lose for a moment. You had me worried."

Maylene grinned. "I didn't see that strategy coming, that's for sure. Your Pokemon are strong. That strength you have will take you far. Always remember what you are fighting are for and never surrender that belief. It keeps you strong and it'll make you stronger as you grow as a trainer. Thanks again for the battle. It helped me clear my mind. Farewell!" Maylene waved.

Dawn headed back towards the entrance, feeling a little bad for the damage caused, but it wasn't like she knew beforehand the damage Solarbeam would cause. Grotle waddled after her, making a grunting noise Dawn assumed was one of joy. She pulled out her map and examined her next stop – Pastoria City. Judging by the length of the path on the map, it was going to take her almost a week to get there by foot. She wasn't keen on doing more exercise for awhile now, but the life of a trainer wasn't an easy one.

She removed her gloves, relieved she didn't have to wear it anymore. She said goodbye to the gym advisor and exited the gym, flexing her fingers to ensure they weren't broken. Fortunately, she could move them well enough indicating no serious harm had been done. _Never again,_ she told herself.

.

Crasher Wake pulled a chair over to the hospital bed and smiled down at young male trainer. Although he was a gym leader, his top priority was looking after the sick. Every weekend, he'd spend a couple of hours at his local Pokemon Centre, cheering up the sick trainers. Once a month, he'd host a tournament to raise funds for charities dedicated to helping the ill. Helping people was his reason for becoming a trainer in the first place.

"I've brought a gift for you, Timothy. I've only got three masks left, but you can have any one you'd like," Crasher Wake said, reaching down into his bag, pulling down the zipper to pick up the three masks. The first mask was of a Chimchar, the second a Pinplup and the third, a Turtwig. Collecting masks was a hobby of his and often when he battled, he wore the mask of one of the Pokemon on his team.

Timothy sat up, brushing brown bangs away from his eyes, and examined the masks the gym leader was holding up. He pointed to the Chimchar mask. "That one!" Crasher Wake handed it over and put the other two away then helped the boy put it on. Wearing masks was often seen as a childish thing to do by some of the parents, but Crasher Wake didn't care. As long as it put a smile on a kid's face he would continue to give away masks.

He stood up and slung the bag over his shoulder. "I'll see you again next week, all right? I'll tell you one of the tales about the Great Marsh."

Timothy nodded, smiling. He waved and Crasher Wave waved back before turning to exit the room. The Great Marsh had once been a graveyard built by their ancestors from many centuries ago, but a great weather event had passed through and flooded the entire city out. Fearing the place would flood again, the former gym leader decided to relocate the graves to the Lost Tower.

The former graveyard had been converted into a nature reserve and was now the number one tourist attraction in Pastoria. The rich strong earth smell of the swamp took some time getting used to, but the joy of seeing Pokemon that could not be found anywhere else in Sinnoh was enough to convince people to endure the unfamiliar aroma. Unfortunately, the Great Marsh was only open during autumn – breeding season took place in the spring just before the monsoonal rains of summer arrived. In winter, the marsh was closed for maintenance.

It was summer now and the three month monsoonal season was due to begin in the next couple of days. The locals had been stocking up on wet weather items to last the summer which included canned food, raincoats and sandbags in the case of flooding. Wealthy locals often went on long vacations to escape the wetness, but Crasher Wake loved it. Watching the Marsh Pokemon come out of their homes to enjoy the rain was a once-in-a-year experience never became boring. He could sit there for weeks just watching them.

He made his way over to the entrance of the Great Marsh to lock the gatehouse. He was the only person in the city who had access to the area all year round as it was his responsibly to look after it as gym leader of Pastoria City. "Excuse me, can I help you?" Crasher Wake said, sauntering over towards an oddly dressed character, standing just in front of the gatehouse. The man appeared to be dressed in a spacesuit which Crasher Wake found quite strange. It was humid here and that tight outfit looked hot. Perhaps this strange fellow didn't want to get bitten by bugs.

The spacemen jumped at the sound of Crasher Wake's voice. He turned around and the gym leader noticed he was carrying a small brown package. "The Great Marsh isn't open?"

"I'm just about to close it. The rains are due to come and that means the Great Marsh closes for the rest of the season," Crasher Wake explained, noting the crestfallen expression on the male's face. "I'm sorry, but that's the law of the city." The stranger nodded and moved away from the gatehouse, his fingers drumming on the package's exterior. Crasher Wake wondered what was inside it – a gift for a friend? He was about to lead the man away when one of his students came rushing towards him.

"Crasher Wake, sir! There is someone standing outside our gym who wishes to see you! He calls himself Barry, sir," Walter said, bending over to catch his breath. "He says he's a big fan of yours and wants to become your apprentice!"

Crasher Wake lifted a brow. As far as he was aware, he wasn't running any mentoring sessions. He turned back to the spacemen. "Please wait here, I will return shortly and I'll allow you a brief glimpse of the Great Marsh, but then you must leave."

The man nodded. "Great!" He sat down in front of the gatehouse.

Crasher Wake returned to the gym where the blond kid stood. He was pacing back and forth, seemingly unable to stand still for a couple of seconds. "You must be Barry?" he said, drawing the kid's attention.

Barry stopped pacing. His face brightened. "Crasher Wake! I'm a big fan of yours! I've come all this way just to see you! You have to take me on as your apprentice! I've got all your tournament posters hanging up on my bedroom walls!" he blurted out.

"Hey now, where did you hear I was taking on apprentices?"

"I made it up myself! If I beat you will you take me on?"

That explained everything. The kid was a challenger on his quest to become the next Champion. Crasher Wake nodded. "All right. I can't turn down a challenge so come on in and show me you have what it takes to earn your fifth badge!" He had no intentions of taking on any apprentices, not because he didn't want to, but because there was no real point. Trainers could be guided, but ultimately they had to find their own path and identity.

Barry jumped up and down then rushed inside, pushing Walter out of the way. Crasher Wake just chuckled – the kid had a lot of energy. It would be interesting to see whether his Pokemon battled with the same level of enthusiasm. As he entered the gym, the spacesuit wearing man entered the gatehouse.

.

Lucas entered Veilstone's busy streets and immediately wished he was old enough to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city's infamous entertainment venues. He had heard many tales about the city's nightlife and he wanted to see what all the fuss was about with his own two eyes. Unfortunately, the age limit was eighteen and he was only fifteen.

Glancing down at the shopping list in his hand, Lucas made his way towards the Veilstone Department Store to buy the professor a couple of items. The man had sent him to buy some new batteries for his Xtransceiver while the man returned to Twinleaf Town with Johanna. Lucas's Piplup was now a Prinplup, capable of handling himself in a battle should trouble come unlike last time back in Jubilife.

As he made his way to the department store, he heard two voices overheard. He knew he should've ignored him, but his curious nature got the better of him and he walked over to investigate. Two Galactic grunts stood in front of a large warehouse arguing amongst themselves. Lucas walked closer and caught snippets of their conversation.

"…everyone knows that muffins are better than cupcakes!"

"…no way, cupcakes are better!"

Lucas lifted his eyebrows – that was the last thing he imagined the grunts to be arguing about. He supposed guard duty must be boring, but arguing about muffins and cupcakes? Weren't these Galactic trainers meant to be adults? Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He immediately dropped a hand to his pokebelt to grab his Prinplup, but the person reached down to grab it, holding it back. He turned around to find a man dressed in all-black clothing looking at him.

"I have startled you, yes? I am, after all, an officer of the International Police. It is only natural that I be a master of disguise… "

Lucas frowned. International Police? "Um, all right, if you say so."

"This building," the man said, jerking his head in the direction of the mammoth building before them. "Belongs to Team Galactic."

"I figured," Lucas replied.

The man seemed surprised. "How did you… Nevermind. I must warn you, they are criminals, but they do not appear, how shall I say, smart." He looked around discreetly then turned back to Lucas. "I must be off. There is much work to be done."

He turned away and walked down the street leaving Lucas feeling quite confused. What in the name of Arceus had that been about? He had met a couple of eccentric people before in his life, but this weird man took the prize as being the most bizarre character he had ever met. Shaking his head, Lucas turned away from the two arguing grunts and headed towards the store to purchase the battery.

.

Johanna had returned home after the gruelling stressful episode at the hospital in Hearthome City. She was thankful Dawn was well, but the fear of something similar occurring again never left her mind. She tried not to worry too much though – Dawn had proven herself to be strong and capable of handling anything that came her way. Right now, she had to worry about herself.

"Johanna, you haven't touched your food. You know you need to eat," Rowan insisted, pointing down at Johanna's plate of 'Karp and chips. Normally, she wouldn't say no fish and chips, but her appetite for such foods had all but disappeared over the past few weeks. She had an urge to dip some strawberries in rich chocolate syrup. Dipping any type of fruit in chocolate was all she wanted nowadays.

"I'm not hungry," she said, looking away from the food, refusing to even touch it. "Please tell me you bought chocolate… or something sweet at least. Arceus knows I'm dying for something sweet."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. The professor had been keeping an eye on her since leaving Hearthome. Carolina and Rowan were taking turns babysitting Johanna and it made her angry. "You're not leaving this house until you eat, so eat," he demanded, pushing the plate back towards Johanna again. "I know the past week has been difficult, but it's not an excuse to avoid eating." He picked up a fork, stabbed a chip and brought it to Johanna's mouth. "Do I have to force-feed you like a child?"

Johanna grumbled, throwing a glare in the elderly man's direction. She took the fork from Rowan's hands biting down on the chip. The chip had no salt on it nor was it crunchy. She felt tempted to chuck it away. Standing up abruptly, she marched over to the fridge to help herself to some apple juice only to find there wasn't any. Her bottom lip trembled and before she could stop herself, tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Why don't we have any apple juice?" she sobbed.

"You drank a whole litre yesterday."

Her sobs became louder. "I want apple juice!" She slammed the fridge door, pressed her back against it and sunk down to the floor, weeping. The tears continued to roll down her cheeks until her eyes were red and puffy. She knew she looked ridiculous and that just made her sob even harder. The poor man was so confused he actually looked stressed.

"I don't understand what the problem is? There's orange juice."

She glared. "It's not good enough! I want apple juice!"

He bit down on his lip, darting his eyes around the room fearfully. It was so unlike him she started to laugh. The professor frowned. "I… I am very confused. Are you sure you're all right? I know it was difficult to watch your daughter lying down on the bed, but she's fine now. She's a strong kid." Johanna continued laughing for no reason at all. She felt happy all of a sudden. Professor Rowan rubbed his temples and headed towards the door when it opened. He breathed a sigh of relief as Carolina walked in.

"Rowan?" she heard Carolina speak.

"Please tell me you brought apple juice. Johanna is very upset that there is nothing left in the fridge. I do not understand… She doesn't even like apple juice."

Carolina ushered the man out of the house. Johanna caught the words, 'let me handle it – you go back to work'. Once Rowan had left, Carolina walked over to Johanna and shook her head. "I did a bit of shopping – and yes, I bought some apple juice – but there's something I'd like you to try just to be certain you haven't completely lost your mind." She placed the plastic bags on the table.

Johanna stopped giggling and walked over to examine the contents inside the bag. Chocolate, apple juice, toilet rolls… and a home pregnancy test? She picked it up and held it before Carolina's face. Cynthia's grandmother didn't even shrug. "Explain?"

"I think there's a very high chance that you are indeed pregnant again, Johanna. Rowan called me up yesterday telling me you were in tears after listening to one of Oak's talk shows. That's very unlike you. The last time you were behaving like this was when you were pregnant with Dawn." She took out the apple juice container and walked over to the fridge. "Don't try to deny it, Johanna. I know a pregnant woman when I see one. I've been there myself."

Johanna placed the test back inside the bag, feeling a sudden wave of nausea just by looking at it. "You didn't tell Rowan?"

"Not yet, but I will have to tell him. He'll figure it out soon anyway – it's not something you can hide well. I have to return home for the next week – it's my youngest granddaughter's birthday and I promised I would be there to celebrate." She opened the fridge's door and put the apple juice away then closed it. "Rowan will be looking after you and I need to tell him what's going on so he doesn't think you need to stay at a Pokemon Centre. If you need anything, just send Lucas."

"You're going to leave me?"

Carolina gave her a sympathetic look. "I have to. I'll be back though, I promise. If you encounter sleeping problems again, I've packaged some medication in your bedside table. Remember, only take one when you need it." Johanna's eyes started to well up with tears again. Carolina pulled her in for a hug then drew back, shaking her head. "Such a silly girl… But I'll be here to help just like before, all right? Promise me you'll take care of yourself?"

Johanna nodded as a new wave of tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't even bother wiping them away because she knew only more would come. "I will."

"Good. That's what I want to hear. I'll be going now, but Rowan will be back within an hour, all right?" She pulled Johanna into a hug again then headed towards the entrance. Once the professor was gone, Johanna dug through the plastic bags and picked up the home pregnancy test again. All the signs were starting to show, but she wanted to be sure anyway. Drawing in a deep breath, she headed towards the bathroom.

.

The infamous clear skies of Sunyshore did little to lift Volkner's mood. There was never a foul day in this part of the region yet for Volkner it felt like he was living under dark skies twenty four seven. His students had tried to cheer up him, but their attempts only succeeded in agitating him further to a point he made sure none of them could leave their platforms, by pressing a few buttons on his master switch remote until they apologized.

Sometimes he'd press a button when a student was standing on the moving bridges just to watch them panic and curse and other times he'd give a student a shock as they passed through an electrical fence just to watch them yell. It was a cruel form of entertainment, but Volkner was in such a desperate need of stimulation that he didn't care what lengths he had to go to achieve it.

His search had brought him to the top of the lighthouse where his favourite student and greatest admirer, Destiny, awaited him. Her hands were hanging over the railing, her dark green eyes listlessly staring out at the open ocean. She heard him approaching and turned her head around to face him, the corners of her mouth curving upwards into a sly grin. "I wasn't sure if you were going to come this afternoon or if you had chickened out," she teased, wrapping a finger around her dark green curls.

"You know I'd never say no to you, Destiny," he replied in a low voice, earning a light-hearted chuckle from the ace trainer. He closed the door behind him and moved to stand in front of her, taking her smaller hands into his own, gazing deeply into her eyes. He knew he was treading on dangerous waters, but how could he say no to such a beautiful girl?

"The others are worried about you, you know," she said, interlocking her fingers with his. "Jerry is scared to set one foot in the gym after he got stuck on his platform for over an hour. You know that was a pretty unkind thing of you to do…" she added, although her face showed no sympathy.

He shrugged. "It was amusing while it lasted." He brought a hand to her chin and tilted it up, then moved his head towards hers, pressing his lips against her own. She tasted like ambrosia and he drank of her until she pulled away, her eyes shining brightly. She brought her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, while his right hand travelled down, coming to a stop on her upper leg. A voice in the back of his mind told him to stop, but now that he had a taste of her, he wanted more. He left a trail of kisses downwards, stopping to suck on the juncture of her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her, while her hands fumbled with the buttons on the front of his pants.

"Volkner!"

He immediately froze at the mention of his name. Flint.

"Oh crap!" Destiny cursed, tearing herself away from Volkner, her eyes wide with fright.

"Get out of here, Destiny," Flint ordered. Volkner actually winced – Flint might've been a fire-type specialist, but he rarely showed his temper. He couldn't actually recall the last time he had seen Flint lose his cool over something and hearing his old friend speak in such a cold tone made him nervous. It was so unlike him.

Destiny looked at Volkner, offered an encouraging grin and hurried down the stairs, closing the door behind her. Drawing in a deep breath, Volkner forced himself to face Flint, preparing himself for the worst. "Couldn't you have just waited another day before checking up on me?" he said sourly. "Don't you have anything better to do? You know, like league business?"

Flint's expression darkened. "I had the day off."

"And so you decided to come to Sunyshore City… out of all the places in the region you could've visited, you had to come here." What a coincidence, he thought bitterly. "What? Don't you trust me to do the right thing?" he added, tone laced with thick sarcasm, knowing immediately it was the wrong thing to say. Flint had no reason to trust him with anything anymore after catching him in the act. The alcohol abuse was bad enough, but this was so much worse.

"You haven't done anything to convince me you can be trusted."

Volkner slammed a fist down on the railing causing it shudder slightly then pointed the same hand at Flint. "I told you – I don't care about being a gym leader. Why can't you get that through your thick head?" he snapped, defensive rage rising. "Maylene's smart enough to realize that, so why can't you?"

"No."

Volkner snorted. "So what then? Are you here to preach?"

Flint raised an eyebrow, the anger in his eyes dimming. He appeared to be more shocked than anything. "Volkner…" he started, refusing to move from his spot. "I'm trying to help you."

"You can shove it up your rear end," he spat, turning his back to Flint, not interested in carrying this conversation further. Flint didn't reply and Volkner assumed the conversation was over – Flint would return to the league and tell Cynthia everything and he'd find himself without a job anymore. He didn't hear a door open though and turned around to receive a fist in his right jaw. His back slammed against the railing. Immediately, he brought a hand to his now reddening cheek, spat down on the ground then lifted his gaze up, glowering in Flint's direction. "What the hell?!"

Flint lowered his fist. "You're a piss poor excuse for a son, you know that?"

The unmistakable taste of blood filled his mouth prompting him to spit on the ground again. It wasn't a significant amount of blood, but it hurt like hell, mentally and physically. Anger poured through him. He reached down to his waist, fingers curling around his mascot Pokemon, his Electivire, and threw it onto the floor. "You shouldn't have done that," he said in a low voice.

"Prove your worth."

"Fine," Volkner hissed, still reeling from Flint's punch. "Electivire, use Thunder Punch!" Normally, his Pokemon wouldn't hesitate to deliver an electrifying punch into the face of his opponent, but the Pokemon refused to move. Instead, he turned to face Volkner, a defiant expression in his eyes. A muscle jerked in Volkner's jaw. "I gave you an order!"

"Your refusal to take your position seriously has affected your Pokemon. You have lost heart and your Pokemon have sensed it and see no reason why they should listen to you," Flint said softly. He took a few steps forward then stretched out a hand, his palm facing the sky. "You're leaving me with little choice, Volkner. Surrender your Pokemon."

Volkner's jaw dropped. Surely, he had misheard? Flint couldn't possibly be suspending him from his gym leader role? "You're joking, right?" he said attempting humour, but he failed to conceal the edge in his tone.

"Your Pokemon will remain under my care until you have proven you are worthy of calling yourself a trainer."

"I'm a gym leader."

Flint shrugged. "Isn't this what you wanted? I thought you didn't want to be a gym leader anymore?" That might've been true, but this wasn't the swan song he had envisioned. His anger dissipated, replaced by a sense of loss. He tried to speak, but a lump had formed in his throat, making it difficult to form words. "Your gym will be closed until further notice," Flint added.

"You can't do that…" Volkner started, finding his voice to speak again. "That's my gym."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

He furrowed his brows, biting down hard on his lip. Flint was serious – he had the right as an Elite Four member to suspend misbehaving gym leaders, but never had such a drastic course of action occurred… until now at least. "You're taking everything away from me."

"You're suspended, Volkner. When you remember what it means to be a gym leader, give me a call and I'll give you your gym and Pokemon back." He pointed at the Volkner's pokebelt. "Hand it over."

Volkner didn't move. "You can't do this to me…"

"Would you prefer if Cynthia was here? She would have you booted – I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself, Volkner. Maybe losing your gym and your Pokemon will help you realize just how important they are to you. Surrender your Pokemon – I will not ask again."

This time, Volkner did as he was asked. Moving his hands to the back of his belt, he undid the hook and held the pokebelt before him. Flint reached out to grab it, but Volkner wasn't willing to part with his Pokemon. His Pokemon meant everything to him and now they were gone. What hurt the most was that it was his entire fault.

'A piss poor excuse for a son' - that's what Flint had referred to him as and there was no other phrasing that could accurately describe him. He called his father weak for giving up his battle against cancer and yet, he had done the same thing by giving up on his Pokemon and himself. If his Pokemon could communicate with him, surely they were wondering why he had given up on them.

Flint tugged on the pokebelt. "Volkner, let go – it's over."

He bit down even harder on his lip, so hard he almost bled. Why was it when you were about to lose something or someone, you realized just how important they were? Squeezing his eyes shut, he released his grip on the pokebelt and turned away from Flint so the fire-type master could not see the grief on his face.


	19. Descent into Madness

To the person who keeps telling me to remove the mature content in 'Shades of Grey' chapter… It's not going to happen. I am not going to change a rating I believe best suits my story because of one reader finding the content too explicit for their liking. Not am I going to remove a scene that is pivotal to a character's development. Fanfiction's ratings are outdated and I do not feel they represent the vast majority of stories on this site.

This story was originally uploaded in 2014 and I never received a single complaint from over two hundred readers (I have all the reviews and stats saved on PC). I repeat - I will _not_ change my rating. If you are uncomfortable with any content in this story then feel free to skip to the next chapter or stop reading altogether. I am not forcing you to read. Surely, there are heaps of other G-rated stories for you to read and enjoy.

Just a warning everyone – there's another pokémon battle in this chapter and what a surprise there's some violence! If that's too much for you then this story isn't for you (despite how tame it actually is). If you are reading this, then please don't call me senpai.

Thanks to Guest and Tgonthefiery for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, big thanks to my silent readers. I should probably note a few things before you proceed - this is the original version of the story and there's multiple errors here and there. I do have an updated ebook version sitting on my PC. Anyways, happy readings.

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 **Chapter Eighteen: Descent into Madness**

A couple of weeks had passed since she had last returned to the comfort of her own home. Her youngest granddaughter was seated on the couch watching a cartoon show with an elderly lady. Her neighbours had been kind enough to step in and keep an eye on her granddaughter while she had been busy looking after Johanna.

As soon as she entered the living room, her granddaughter Jade, leapt up and rushed over, throwing her arms around her grandmother's waist. "Grandma! You're home!" Jade said, pressing her head into her stomach, tightening her embrace.

Linda, her neighbour, limped over using her walking stick to hold her upright. She greeted Carolina with a smile and a nod. "I told you your grandmother would return in time," she said, smiling down at Jade.

Jade pulled her arms away and glanced up. Carolina rubbed a hand through her hair. "I might be grey and old, but my memory remains as sharp as ever." She bent down and kissed her on the forehead then straightened. "I bought you a gift, but you don't get to open it until tomorrow," she added.

The girl pouted. "I can't wait until tomorrow!"

"She's been going through the list of Pokemon with me all week long," Linda said, brushing a strand of wavy grey hair behind her right ear. "She wants to follow in the footsteps of her older sister."

"I know my gift is a Pokemon! I know what tomorrow means!" she said, tugging on her grandmother's coat.

Carolina gently pulled the girl's hand away and observed her closely. The girl was turning ten years old tomorrow and that meant she could set out on her journey and follow in her sister's footsteps. Under the normal circumstances, she wouldn't mind sending a ten year old out into the big world, but times were different now. It was too dangerous. Team Galactic made sure Sinnoh wasn't safe anymore.

The girl was determined though. She wanted to live up to the fame of her sister and become the greatest trainer in the region. Carolina wanted to say no, to protect Jade from Cyrus and his grunts, but Jade would most likely call her sister for assistance and Carolina would lose. Cynthia always took her sister's side. She sighed. "All right, but you have to promise me that you will take good care of it."

Jade jumped up and down. "Of course I will! I would never harm a Pokemon!"

"Close your eyes and keep them closed until I say to open them. If you open your eyes before the time is up, you won't get your present until tomorrow, is that understood?"

Jade nodded. "Yes, grandma! I understand!" The girl ran over the couch and jumped onto it. She grabbed one of the pillows and covered her face. Linda sat down besides the girl, caught Carolina's eyes and winked.

Carolina walked towards the study room where she kept the girl's present. It was a Togepi egg and originally it was meant for Dawn as a starter Pokemon, but Professor Rowan had already taken care of that. She reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out a small silver key. The door to her study was locked for a reason to shield her granddaughter's from the truth. Letters, cards, gifts from their parents were stashed away in here along with her old research notes. They could never learn the truth – it would hurt far too much and the wounds would never heal.

She walked over to the dome where a green spotted egg sat in the middle. She reached down to press the blue button and the glass covering came down, allowing her to pick up the Togepi egg. Once it was safely in her arms, she walked away and headed back into the living room.

With great caution, Carolina placed the egg on her lap. "You can open your eyes now," she said, pulling the pillow away from her eyes. Jade's eyes opened and she glanced down at the egg. A smile spread across her face. To her credit, the girl didn't jump and squeal with excitement. "This is my gift for you. It's a Togepi egg."

"A Togepi? Cynthia had one too, didn't she?" the girl exclaimed.

Carolina nodded and sat down besides her granddaughter. "She did and then it evolved. Take good care of your Pokemon and it will evolve as well. Remember what I told you, treat your Pokemon the same way you would treat your family," she said softly.

"With love and care," Jade said.

Carolina beamed. "Good girl." She pulled her into a hug then stood up again. "The egg will hatch in a couple of days. Keep it in a warm place and be sure to take it with you wherever you go."

Jade nodded. "You're the best grandma ever!" Carolina opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. She frowned and looked at Linda for an explanation. The other lady looked just as confused. "Jade, go to your room," Carolina said quietly. Jade frowned, but did as she was told, carefully cradling the egg in her arms.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Linda said, following the girl to her room.

Carolina waited until they had both left then returned to the study room to lock it. There was another loud knock on the door and she hurried back to the living room area. Picking up a book from the shelf nearby, she approached the door with caution. She hadn't invited anyone over for lunch nor had Cynthia informed her was she returning home. She peered through the keyhole and spotted Linda's husband, Peter. The man kept glancing over his shoulder as if he was being chased by something… or someone.

She put the book on the floor and opened the door. "Peter?"

He stepped inside and darted his eyes around the room. "We have to leave! They're threatening to blow up our town!" he said in between heavy gasps, his eyes wide with fright.

"They?"

He locked eyes with her. "The conspiracy theories are true! The spacemen have arrived and they're coming to destroy us all!" he exclaimed, a quaver in this voice. "I knew I wasn't crazy! I knew this day would come! They're dangerous! We have to leave now! Linda, Linda!" he called out, his voice echoing throughout the house.

Spacemen. That could only mean one thing. Team Galactic had arrived. Carolina clamped a hand over the man's mouth. "Linda is upstairs with my youngest granddaughter. I want you to take them both and head to Canalave City using the secret pathway through the forest," she said, slowly removing her hand from the man's mouth, just encase he decided to scream again. He was deathly pale now. She wondered if he'd even survive the trip. He nodded, stifling a whimper. "Now, did you see anyone else with the spacemen?"

"The spacemen said they were here with their boss…"

Carolina tightened her jaw muscles. So Cyrus was here as well. She dropped a hand into the pocket on her left, her fingers brushing up against a small steel container. Inside the container was the end result of her work as a scientist. It was also her biggest kept secret. She never intended to use it again, but her family was in danger. She pushed past Peter and headed outside.

A large group of grunts stood outside, blocking the main entrance and exit of the town. She saw noticed several of her neighbours sitting on the ground, each one guarded by two grunts. One of her neighbours, an elderly man called Tom, caught her eye. She was startled to see tears running down his cheeks. She walked towards him when a grunt stepped in front of her.

"On the ground!"

Carolina held her ground. She drew back a hand and slapped him in the face. She was old, but she wasn't weak, having kept herself in good health for a number of decades. "Have you no respect for your elders?" The grunt hissed. "I am the keeper of the shrine. Let these people go and take me instead."

The grunt turned around to seek advice from his fellow peers. The grunt standing behind Tom nodded. "Take her to the boss!"

Her grunt tried to grab her arm, but she shook him off. "I can walk myself." He led her towards the shrine and stopped at the entrance. The shrine was nothing more than a cave, but inside there was a painting of the Lake Guardian trio, rumoured to have been drawn by Sinnoh's earliest inhabitants. Cyrus was standing before the painting looking at it with great interest. The grunt retreated leaving her alone with Cyrus.

.

Pastoria City was mostly vacant by the time she reached the place. She had bypassed a few trainers along the way talking about the monsoonal season was due to start very soon and anyone with some sense would leave now. Dark eerie clouds hung over the city giving the place a rather depressing feel, but the rain hadn't fallen yet. After the fast-paced party atmosphere of Veilstone, she was actually glad to be in a quiet place with very few people.

It wasn't like she planned on staying here for long anyway. The only reason she had even come here was to take on her fifth challenge. Taking in a deep breath, she strolled towards the gym when she was knocked off her feet. With a loud 'oof', she landed on her backside. Grumbling, she checked to ensure her egg pouch and bag were safe – thankfully, no damage had been done.

"Hey there Dawn! Sorry that I didn't see you there!" Barry exclaimed, reaching down a hand to assist her to her feet. She noticed his hair was wet, as if he had just climbed out of a swimming pool. He shook his head like a wet dog, drops of water hitting Dawn in the face. She grimaced. "I was just so excited, you know? I just won my fifth badge!" To prove it, he held his badge in her face, showing her his pearly whites. "Crasher Wake's such a cool guy! He's taking me on as his apprentice!"

"Apprentice?" Dawn repeated, rubbing her rump.

Barry opened his mouth to explain what he meant when a large muscular guy stepped outside. Dawn immediately recognized him as Crasher Wake – she only knew the guy because of Barry's personal shrine. He looked much bigger in person, almost towering over them both. He had taken to not wearing a shirt, and much to Dawn's horror, he was wearing lycra swimwear. She looked at the ground, feeling her cheeks burn from embarrassment. Didn't the guy feel awkward running around in that?

If he was embarrassed, he certainly didn't show it. He was busy singing a tune to himself which Dawn recognized as the song that played when he entered the arena. To her horror, Barry joined in and started the singing the lyrics. "The ring is my roiling sea, the towering waves shaped me! Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! I'm the tidal wave of power to wash you away! Put out the fire, Crasher Wake! Run from electricity, Crasher Wake! Ah, ah, aaah! The ring is my sea!" the boys sang.

It didn't take a genius to understand what the meaning behind the lyrics was. Crasher Wake was a Water-type specialist which she thought was quite strange considering his appearance. He looked more suited being a wrestler. He was the type of guy she assumed would be a fighting-type trainer based on his stature. "This must be the friend you were telling me about?" she heard him speak.

"Yup, this is Dawn. She's my best friend, but only one of us will become the Champion!"

The red heat in her cheeks faded and she looked up, making sure to keep her eyes on his face. "You keep telling yourself that, Barry."

Barry placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder and grinned. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I really ought to be going. I'll see you in Canalave City! See ya, Dawn! See ya, master!" He rushed off before Dawn could even say goodbye. Choosing Chimchar had been a perfect choice. The Pokemon was just like his master – spontaneous, speedy and excitable.

"... Your friend is good, but he'll burn himself out if he keeps this pace up," Crasher Wake said, turning to face Dawn. "Well, I'll be waiting for you at the end of the gym. I hope you're not afraid to get your hair wet." He chuckled, turned around and entered the gym. Dawn didn't like the sound of that. She hoped his gym wasn't a gigantic swimming pool. Swimming had never been a strong point of hers.

She stepped inside the gym and immediately was overwhelmed by the strong scent of a chlorinated pool. Several gym students were scattered around the pool area standing on platforms. The platforms were not connected by bridges confirming her worst nightmare. This was another physical endurance testing her athletic ability and it required her to swim to each section. That explained why Crasher Wake was in his swimwear attire.

As per usual, the gym advisor was there. He too was dressed in swimming attire with a belt around his waist, but thankfully he wasn't wearing lycra bottoms. "Hello, hello! Welcome to Pastoria's Gym! I hope you brought your swimwear otherwise you're going to have to swim in your current clothes!" the man said.

She hadn't taken any swimwear. It was the one piece of clothing she had decided not to purchase thinking she wouldn't need it. She regretted it now. "Uh, no?" Hopefully, the man was just joking and he wasn't serious about actually jumping into the pool in her casual clothes.

"No problem! You can have one of the swimsuits over there on bench!" the gym advisor said, pointing to a nearby bench. There were several black crates, each one labelled with a big white sign. "They're brand new – Crasher Wake is a nice man. He wouldn't make challengers borrow swimsuits. Just take the one that appeals to you. The female ones are on the right."

Dawn was grateful. The thought of wearing a swimsuit someone else had worn was somewhat gross to think about. She walked over to the crates on the far right and peered down. The furthest crate had a collection of bikinis while the one next to it had one piece swim suits. She didn't waste any time thinking about it – she grabbed one of the one piece suits and turned back to the gym advisor.

"There's a dressing room just around the corner. Once you are done, come back and speak to me so I can tell you about the rules of this gym!"

She followed the advisor's directions and turned around the corner then walked into the changing room. She quickly changed out of her clothing, stashing it in the locker inside along with her bag then put on the black swimsuit. Once she was done, she exited the dressing room and returned to the gym advisor. "What are the rules?"

"This gym is designed to be a huge swimming pool. As you have noticed, there are no bridges connecting the platforms, but that doesn't mean you can't avoid the trainers. To challenge Crasher Wake, you need to prove yourself by defeating three of the six trainers."

Dawn nodded. "That doesn't sound too bad."

He grinned. "Not so easy challenger. You will be tested on a variety of battles – single battles, double battles and finally triple battles. You must battle in each mode to challenge Crasher Wake for your fifth gym. You'll have to swim around to each platform and figure out which trainer represents what battle mode."

Her shoulders slumped. Great, she thought bitterly. More exercise. Climbing tyres and punching bags was bad enough, but this was ten times worse. Every part of her body was going to be put to the test. She missed the early gyms – at least they didn't require any form of athletic ability. "What about my pokebelt? It's not waterproof."

The gym advisor reached his hands down to his waist and removed his pokebelt. "Glad you asked! This is a waterproof pokebelt specially made for this gym." He handed the pokebelt to her and Dawn grabbed it, immediately putting it around her waist. All that was left to do was to reattach her pokeballs and she was set to go. "Don't worry; your pokeballs will not fall off."

Well that was a relief, she thought. She could just imagine how ridiculous it would look to see her pokeballs floating on the surface of the water. "Are Pokedex's waterproof as well?" The professor and his assistant hadn't said much about it leaving Dawn to wonder just how resistant the item was.

"The earlier designs weren't, but the new ones are! You'll have a new design if you received one within the last five years," he explained. "Pokedex's are designed to endure almost anything."

She nodded. "Is the pool cold?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. It's all part of the fun though. Good luck!" He grinned again. Dawn couldn't see how jumping into a non-heated pool could be considered fun. Before diving into the pool, she returned to the dressing room to attach her pokeballs and Pokedex. It didn't look like the Pokedex was waterproof, but looks could be deceiving. Once she had finished equipping her belt, she headed back out to the main area and stared down at the pool.

Hesitantly, she dipped her right foot in. She jerked her foot back the moment her toe brushed against the freezing water. Not pleasant, she thought bitterly. She glanced down again, wrapping her arms around her body, trying to stop herself from trembling. She hadn't even jumped in yet and she was shuddering.

Crossing her fingers and muttering a prayer, Dawn dipped her foot into the water again. "All right, on the count of three… three… two… one…" Pinching her nose, she squeezed her eyes shut and jumped into the water. The impact was immediate. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms around hitting the water with such force she created miniature waves around her. Although she knew she looked silly splashing about in the pool, she found her joyous antics helped her body adapt to the temperature much quicker.

Spitting out water from her mouth, Dawn paddled forward using the same style of swimming a canine used to stay afloat. It was a painfully slow method, but it was the only style of swimming where she didn't have to make contact with the water using her face. Paddling towards the first platform, she spotted a male with a fishing rod standing on the opposite edge. She threw her hands over the edge and lifted herself up, taking in deep heavy breaths to calm her racing heart.

"That's the first time I've ever seen anyone warm up like that!" the fisherman commented, putting his rod down on the ground. He was wearing bright red swim shorts and nothing else. "I'm Walter and I am a single-mode trainer."

Dawn picked herself up from the floor and marched on the spot to keep herself warm. "L-let's ba-bat-battle!" she stuttered, feeling goose bumps on her skin. With a shaky hand, she reached down to her waterproof pokebelt, fingers grasping her Grotle pokeball. With a Grass-type Pokemon on my team, this gym should be a breeze, she told herself. "Go Gr-Grotle!" Her tortoise appeared from its ball, standing a metre in front of his trainer.

Walter chucked his pokeball close to the edge of the platform. A large plump dark blue fish with thick light blue lips appeared. It leapt into the water. She removed her Pokedex and held it up with a wet hand. _"Whiscash. The evolved form of Barboach. It is extremely protective of its territory. In one region, it is said to have been born from hardened mud."_ She returned the Pokedex to her belt.

"Whiscash! Use Magnitude!" The Whiscash dove beneath the surface and sped towards the bottom, slamming his head against the tiled floor. The ground beneath her feet began to shake violently, almost knocking her off her feet. Fortunately, she managed to hold her ground by stretching her arms to the side to maintain balance. Grotle's twin bushes shook, but the tortoise himself hardly moved an inch, not at all phased by the tremor.

"Grotle, use Mega Drain!" Two long vines emerged from the twin bushes on his back, throwing themselves at the Whiscash's slimy body. The vines tightened around the fish's body, causing the fish to thrash wildly, splashing water in all directions. Whiscash tried to free itself from the vines, but they seemed designed to hold Water-type creatures in their place. Suction cups opened on the vines attaching themselves to the fish's body, draining the life force within the other Pokemon transferring the energy to Grotle. The process lasted a few minutes. As soon as it was finished, Grotle released the Whiscash, his vines covered in slime.

"Whiscash, use Water Gun!"

Whiscash opened his mouth and fired medium orbs of water at Grotle's shell. Grotle didn't even flinch. The bushes on his back emitted an earthly aura and drained the water into its roots, rendering the attack as useless. Why the fisherman even bothered trying to compete, Dawn didn't know. There wasn't anything this fish could do against the might of her water-type slaying Pokemon.

"Use Razor Leaf, Grotle!" Grotle's vines emerged from the twin bushes, diving into the water to grab the fish. Whiscash tried to avoid, but he was weakened from the earlier attack his movements weren't as agile. Grotle picked up the fish then shook his body, prompting the twin bushes to sway, releasing razor sharp leaves in the fish's direction. Whiscash turned limp.

"Oh no, my Whiscash!" Walter whined, recalling his Pokemon.

Dawn recalled her Grotle as well after giving her companion a pat on the head for a job well done. She turned her back to Walter and dived into the pool not wanting to waste another minute standing on dry ground. The longer she stayed on dry ground, the more unwelcoming it would be diving back into the water again.

She paddled towards the middle where two males were standing on opposite platforms. One man was dressed in a white swimsuit and the other had a blue tube around his waistline. She moved towards the male with the tube, came in contact with the ledge and climbed up. Panting again, she waited a few moments to catch her breath before rising to her feet.

"I'm Jacky, the other single-battle trainer. You've already defeated Walter, so go on and battle Damian on the opposite platform," Jacky said, pointing to the guy in the white swimsuit. The man was wearing a white swim cap. Dawn grumbled and climbed back down finding this whole experience unpleasant. Some people might enjoy swimming, but she wasn't one of them. She paddled to the opposite platform.

"I'm Damian, and I am one of the two double-battle experts in this gym." He brought both hands down to his waist, removing the two pokeballs from the belt. He threw them forward at the same time. Two white-feathered avians appeared. The smaller one had a head much larger than its body while the larger bird's bill was much bigger. They took to the skies flying circles above their trainer's head.

Dawn lifted her Pokedex.

 _Wingull. It soars high in the sky, riding on updrafts like a glider. It carries food tucked in its bill._

She turned to the larger bird.

 _Pelipper. The evolved form of Wingull. It is a messenger of the skies, carrying small Pokemon and eggs to safety in its bill._

She put it away again and proceeded to choose her next two Pokemon. Using Grotle was out of the question as he was super-weak to Flying-types. Her fingers traipsed over her Deino's pokeball. Deino hadn't faced a competitive battle since Hearthome and she suspected her baby dragon was itching for some action. She removed the ball and threw it forward. "Deino, come on out!" Deino emerged, biting at the air around it, uttering a high-pitched roar. She sent out her Honchkrow as her second choice.

"Wingull and Pelipper, use Mist!" The two birds swooped down to ground level stopping just a few inches above the surface of the water and flew in circles around the platform until a fog cloud appeared. Visibility now limited, Dawn could barely see her surroundings and hoped this wouldn't result in an early loss. Deino's eyesight was poor already and her Honchkrow's acute eyesight only applied on a day with clear conditions.

"Honchkrow, use Swagger! Deino, use Dragon Rage!" Dawn called out through the haze.

She couldn't see her Honchkrow, but she could hear the bird flapping his wings above her. Silence soon followed which was then broken by a high-pitched squawk. It sounded as if two birds were engaged in a duel and one had received a nasty blow. She hoped it wasn't her Honchkrow. Deino moved away from Dawn's legs and arched his neck back, glancing up towards the ceiling. He tilted his head to the right, to the left then to the right again, before rising on his hind legs. Opening his mouth, he emitted a beam of draconic rage directly up above. There was a loud squawk. Moments later, a fainted Wingull landed before her feet. She looked at Deino with newfound interest. Deino's eyesight might be poor, but one of his other senses made up for that weakness.

A few more seconds passed by and the Pelipper plummeted to the ground. It landed on its back, its wings outstretched, feet raised in the air. Dawn cheered as the mist faded. Only one more battle to go. Damian fell to his knees, weeping. Dawn rolled her eyes and moved to the edge to jump in once more. Up ahead, she spotted three trainers sharing a platform at the far end of the pool. There was one young female flanked by two older males. Crasher Wake stood behind them on his own private platform.

She paddled forward, gasping for breath, feeling her energy levels waning. Swimming was far more tiring than she had originally thought. _Note to self, avoid pools for the next couple of months,_ she thought dryly, adding it to her growing list of physical activities she did not enjoy. There was cycling, fighting and now swimming. Why couldn't the later gyms be as physically easy as the beginning gyms?

Eventually, she made it to the other end and climbed out of the pool. She stood up slowly, waited a couple of moments to regain her composure and walked up towards the middle trainer. Dark brown eyes peered up her. "I'm Caitlyn, and I'm the second double-battle specialist. You've already beaten Damian though so I'll stand aside." The girl walked over to the far right and placed her tube on the ground. She sat down and watched.

The male on the right, a guy wearing a blue board shorts and no shirt, stepped forward. "I'm Erick."

The other male stepped forward, raising his hands to his eyes, readjusting the goggles. This was the first time in the gym someone was actually wearing goggles other than the gym advisor himself. "And I'm Samson. You've done well to make it this far, but now you'll have to choose between us two brothers."

"I'm stronger than my brother, but choosing to fight me means risking losing your entire team."

"And I'm the weaker brother, but choosing to fight me means facing Crasher Wake unprepared."

Dawn thought hard. It was a choice of risks – take the easy route and risk being unprepared or take the harder route and risk losing. Losing here meant having to swim the entire pool length again and she didn't want to have to that since it had been a pain to get to her current position. Her eyes moved back and forth between the two trainers. "I'll face Erick."

Samson smiled. "A wise decision. Many trainers want to rush through the gym. When they reach the gym leader they suffer a terrible loss because they were unprepared." He walked over to join Caitlyn.

Erick moved to stand directly in front of Dawn and smirked. "The boy who came in earlier chose my brother. He wanted to get through the gym as quickly as possible paying little attention to any form of strategy. Choosing to battle me tells me you are thoughtful, strategic and cautious. These traits will help you in your future challenges. Are you ready?"

Dawn wasn't surprised Barry had opted to take the easier route. "I'm ready." She summoned forth Grotle, Honchkrow and Haunter to take this battle, feeling the combination would give her greater flexibility.

Erick proceeded to summon his three Pokemon; a horned fish with a tail that looked a dress, a larger fish with a horn that looked related to the first Pokemon and a huge serpent blue-scaled beast with a yellow underbelly. The creature had a mouth so big her entire room could fit inside it. The two fishes she could deal with, but that that thing? She wasn't so sure. Even her Pokemon looked nervous.

She brought out her Pokedex and obtained on the fish with the dress.

 _Goldeen. Though it appears very elegant when swimming with fins unfurled, it can jab powerfully with its horn._

She turned to the next Pokemon.

 _Seaking. The evolved form of Goldeen. It autumn, its body becomes more fatty in preparing to propose to a mate. It takes on beautiful colours._

Dawn scratched her head. If the fish could be either male or female, why was it called a Seaking?

She turned her Pokedex to face the intimidating serpent creature.

 _Gyarados. Once it begins to rampage, a Gyarados will burn everything down, even in a harsh storm._

That explained its monstrous jaw and overall aggressive appearance. Her Pokemon looked so tiny in comparison she wondered if they could do damage at all. "Haunter, use Confuse Ray!" Dawn ordered. Relying on pure strength alone wouldn't help her win this match. She had to be smart otherwise face her first defeat against a gym student and that would be embarrassing. Gyarados dived under the water, evading the ray. Dawn cursed.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage!" Using Dragon Rage and watching the Pokemon of opponents in one hit was satisfying, but being on the receiving end was not so pleasant. Grotle received a blast in the face, but fortunately he had enough stamina to endure the attack. He wouldn't be so fortunate on the next round.

Dawn pointed at the sky. Downing Gyarados was the only thing that mattered right now. Goldeen was weak and fell quickly with a good Grass-type and she suspected it would be the same story with the Seaking. "Honchkrow, use Swagger!" Swagger was a risky move – it had a high chance of confusing the opponent, but at the cost of raising the attack of the enemy. Honchkrow flew around the Gyarados's head, nimbly avoiding the Pokemon's attempts to bite him and spat a gob of bile into the Pokemon's jaw. Gyarados didn't seem to be able to close its mouth fortunately and the bile travelled down its throat.

The eyes of the Gyarados turned a misty gray. It thrashed around in place, sending waves of water in all directions, taking down anything in its path. The other trainers in the gym moved out of harm's way, distancing themselves from the raging creature. In its fit of rage, it hit itself in the back of its head with its tail. A bone-chilling roar erupted from the Pokemon's mouth. The confused Gyarados turned its attention away from the battle and swam towards the opposite end of the pool.

"Seaking, use Horn Attack!" The fish dived, swam to the bottom, moving its tail back and forth at a frantic pace. It came back towards the surface and jumped out, driving it's horn into Honchkrow's belly, throwing the bird backwards. Seaking landed in the water again. "Goldeen, use Water Pulse!" A stream of water left the Goldeen's mouth, striking Honchkrow's left wing. He fell to the ground, soaked from head to talons. Fortunately, he managed to recover and climbed to his feet. He ruffled his feathers and stretched his wings out to dry them.

"Grotle, use Mega Drain!" Vines erupted from the twin bushes, wrapping themselves around the Goldeen. They tightened around its body, holding the Pokemon in place. It tried to free itself with its horn, but couldn't quite reach the vines. Grotle drained energy, repairing his own wounds then released, dropping the Goldeen back into the water.

Gyarados was still rampaging creating havoc at the far end. Dawn spotted the gym advisor running towards the concrete built dressing rooms for protection. "Haunter, put that Gyarados to sleep! Use Hypnosis!" Haunter floated towards the opposite side. The Gyarados was oblivious to the Haunter, too focused on creating mini tidal waves to pay any attention. Haunter moved towards the Gyarados's forehead and pressed a claw against it. Gyarados's movements slowed until they stopped completely. It shut its eyes and crashed down, spraying water in all directions, flooding the front part of the gym out, his head landing on the far end platform.

"Honchkrow, use Night Slash!" Honchkrow had dried himself out now. He took to the air and flew over to Gyarados and dive bombed, pinning his wings back. As he neared his target, he raked his talons forward and flared his wings, hitting Gyarados square between his eyes. The attack didn't appear to cause significant damage, but it did leave behind a ghastly deep wound on Gyarados's face. Gyarados didn't stir. Honchkrow and Haunter returned to Dawn.

"I can't believe… you downed my Gyarados…" Erick said.

Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. Her strategy had worked better than she had thought although it had come down to luck. "Grotle, use Bite!" she ordered, pointing at the Goldeen. Vines emerged from the bush once again to grab the Goldeen. The vines lifted the Goldeen out of the water, bringing the fish towards Grotle's mouth. He clamped down on it and held it steady until it turned limp. This Goldeen seemed weaker than the one she faced earlier. All that remained now was the Seaking.

"Seaking, use Water Pulse!" Seaking propped its head above the water and shot forth a powerful stream of water. It was powerful enough it forced Grotle back a few steps back, but aside from that, he was unharmed. Dawn couldn't understand why the trainer even bothered using water-type attacks against a grass-type. In the corner of her eye, she spotted her Honchkrow and Haunter floating towards her. She decided to call them both back and give Deino and her Houndour a chance to gain some additional experience since it wouldn't take much more to take down Seaking.

"Use Dragonbreath, Deino! Houndour, use Smog!" Houndour trotted over to the water's edge and growled. Purple mist exited his mouth encasing the Seaking. Judging by the colour, Dawn assumed it was poisonous odour-free gas. Deino joined Houndour's side and roared. Bright pink flame burst from his mouth landing on top of the fish's head. Dragonbreath wasn't exactly fire because it didn't dissolve immediately upon making contact with the water – it appeared to be a unique beam of energy only dragons had. Seaking fainted.

Erick was shocked. "I can't believe it… You actually did it…" he trailed.

"It was a good battle. Your Gyarados had me worried."

He walked over to her and shook her hand. "You did well, trainer. You are definitely prepared. Good luck! Crasher Wake might seem like an easy-going guy, but he's a real menace in battle." Dawn recalled her Pokemon and glanced in Crasher Wake's direction. He waved out to her and smiled. He was still wearing that horrible swim suit and that strange mask. She jumped into the water again and paddled over.

"Welcome!" Crasher Wake said, beaming down at her, as Dawn climbed up onto his platform. "You already know me, but according to league rules I must formally introduce myself. I'm Crasher Wake! My Pokemon were toughened up by stormy white waters! They'll take everything you can throw at them and then pull you under! Victory will be ours! Come, let's get it done!"

.

Paul returned home, threw his bag onto the floor and kicked it underneath his bed then climbed on. The week had been long and consisted of patrolling the route to Solaceon Town which had been pretty uneventful. The highlight of the week had been bumping into that stupid girl in the Lost Tower. What was her name again? Day? Dawn? All he remembered was her uptight, preachy nature and ugly blue hair.

He hadn't managed to take any strong Pokemon from anyone unfortunately and he hoped his next hunting trip would be more exciting. He knew his boss wouldn't be too impressed, but she'd learn to get over it. Kicking off his shoes, he chucked them on the floor next to his bag. Having spent the past week sleeping on grass and dirt made him realize just how much he missed the comfort his bed provided. Comfort never lasted for long though, especially not in this life, so he didn't make himself too comfortable.

It wasn't long before his door opened. A person dress in a black hooded robe leaned against his door frame, arms crossed over their chest. He couldn't see their face, but he knew exactly who this was. Hunter J, the self-appointed boss of the poachers. He sat up on his bed, giving the woman an expectant look.

"Please tell me you found something, Paul," the woman said curtly. "Team Rocket's new leader is offering a high price on the market in exchange for strong Pokemon. Slowpoke Tails will only keep them satisfied for so long before the market dries up."

Paul snorted. The new leader for Team Rocket was a man called Archer who was determined to please his old boss by restoring their name to its former glory. The guy needed money and he decided to sell body parts and organs of Pokemon to the public disguising them as healthy items for humans and their partners. In exchange, he offered big money to the suppliers of these items. "No Pokemon. The trainers that patrol that route are weak and therefore have weak Pokemon," Paul replied. "I really don't see why you agreed to assist Archer anyway. Team Rocket are a bunch of fools."

"Foolish, yes, but they have money. Money makes the world go round, Paul."

"You should form an alliance with Team Galactic. I hear they have heaps of money."

She snorted. "I don't care about Team Galactic. Our goal is simple – capture Pokemon and sell them on the black market. If anyone tries to interfere with my plans, I will have them crushed," the woman snapped. "Do you have anything to report or am I wasting my time talking to you?"

Paul shook his head. "Wasting your time."

She took a step towards him and placed a finger under his chin. "The only reason you are still alive, Paul is because you've been useful to me… more so than any of the other fools working for me." She pressed her finger, driving it as deep as she could into the flesh, earning a stifled hiss from her worker. She sneered. "If I deem you no longer useful, I will have you killed and no one will ever find your body." She drew her finger away, chuckling. "Consider this your first warning, Paul."

"So what do you want from me?" This was the usual conversation he shared with Hunter J. She always issued her threats, but nothing ever came of it because she knew just how valuable Paul was. The other employees did not fare so well though. One display of weakness and she would not hesitate to push the offender of a cliff's edge. If she didn't get to kill anyone, or seriously injure a person, she was disappointed. One would think the authorities would realize people had gone missing, but the police in Sinnoh were incompetent.

"I've been hearing about a trainer called Dawn. Have you heard of her? Perhaps you've crossed paths with at some point in your journey," Hunter J inquired, looking intently in his direction.

"Dawn? The goofy trainer with blue hair, right? What about her?"

She cleared her throat. "I'm running a favour for a dealer who is offering a large amount of money should Dawn be dealt with. This dealer, who calls himself Pluto, believes this simple girl is a threat."

Paul snorted. "She's just a weak trainer. She's not worth the effort."

"Two billion dollars, Paul."

He leaned forward, an incredulous expression on his face. "Two billion dollars? You're joking, right?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. I want her stopped and I know you are the right trainer for the job. You can make up for failing to catch any useful Pokemon by eliminating her. Do not come back to me until this task is completed. I want her pretty little head served to my Salamence."

"We hunt Pokemon. We don't hunt trainers." Not that it was a huge concern for him, but he signed up to track down strong Pokemon, not capture stupid trainers. Still, Hunter J, his boss, had upheld her end of her bargain providing him with the necessary means of survival. She gave him food, water, shelter and money in exchange for his loyalty.

"This is an opportunity I don't want to turn down. He has offered two billion dollars, remember – just imagine what we could do with that amount of money." Although he could not see her face, he could imagine the greed in her eyes. The woman's sole existence was to make money and she'd go to any extreme to get her hands on it. Weakness wasn't tolerated – perhaps that's why he had survived this long. He didn't tolerate weakness either.

"Fine, I'll do it but only because she rubbed me the wrong way."

"Good. Get some rest. You leave first thing tomorrow morning." Hunter J exited the room allowing Paul some peace and quiet for the first time in a couple of days.

Crasher Wake's Gyarados was a menace. Erick's Gyarados couldn't even compare. His Pokemon moved quickly and hit extremely hard Dawn never had the chance to launch a counter-attack. Houndoom and Deino were too under-levelled, and Haunter fell to Gyarados's Bite attack. Only Honchkrow and Grotle remained, but she wasn't sure if they had the power to bring down the serpent creature.

"Gyarados, use Twister!" Gyarados roared, sending a chill racing down Dawn's spine. All Pokemon communicated using sounds in the same manner humans used with words, but never had she heard something so monstrous. His roar was as loud as a freight train. A whirlpool formed in the water then a funnel with purple flames appeared, pulling in various bits and pieces of damaged equipment scattered around the gym. Honchkrow was pulled into the ferocious twister along with the other bits of debris. The funnel was short-lived lasting less than sixty seconds, but the damage had been significant.

"Honchkrow, use Wing Attack!" Feathers rained down from the undersides of Honchkrow's wings, falling into the serpent's mouth. One feather struck the serpent in the eye and the Gyarados released a bloodcurdling roar. The serpent lunged forward, bringing its tail around to the front, smacking Honchkrow in the belly, bringing the bird down into the water. Honchkrow rose to the surface, flailing around helplessly, like a fish out of water. Dawn knew her Honchkrow wouldn't be able to continue so she returned him to her pokeball and brought out Grotle.

She hoped Grotle would win the match. He was a Grass-type so his chances of winning should be much higher with the type advantage. "Grotle, use Mega Drain!" Grotle's vines emerged and wrapped themselves around the neck of the serpent creature, suction cups draining the energy out of him. Surprisingly, the Gyarados didn't seem too affected by the move. She frowned. How was that even possible? Wasn't Gyarados a water-type?

"You seem surprised, Dawn! Gyarados is also a Flying-type meaning the effectiveness of a Grass-type move is less powerful," Crasher Wake explained.

Gyarados was a dual type? How could it even fly? It had no wings. "Gyarados doesn't have wings," she called back.

"Gyarados is related to the dragon family, but isn't actually classed as a dragon-type itself."

"That doesn't explain the Flying-tying classing though."

Crasher Wake shrugged. "Gyarados can jump really high."

She had trouble trying to wrap her head around that fact. Jumping high wasn't flying. It wasn't like Gyarados could jump from one city to the other on the opposite side of the region, so why the Flying-type label? She wondered if Professor Rowan knew since he was a Pokemon expert. She looked down at her Grotle. Would relying on defence give her the advantage again?

"Gyarados, use Bite!" Gyarados moved through the water then lowered its head, clamping his mouth around her Grotle, sinking its upper row of teeth into the shell. Grotle's rock hard shell caused a tooth to fall out, prompting the serpent to roar out in pain, after releasing him. The tooth fell to the ground. Grotle shuddered, but didn't seem to be too affected by the attack.

Despite Grotle having a tough exterior, the sheer power of Gyarados was sure to eventually break through his defence. She rethought her strategy – Gyarados's mouth seemed to be its weak spot. Although it could close, it seemed remaining open was natural. "Okay Grotle, I want you to aim a Solarbeam down the Gyarados' throat," she said.

Grotle's bushes shook. A green glow emanated from his shell as his bushes began to absorb the light of the sun. Unlike last time, Grotle didn't have to rip the floor tiles to draw energy from the earth as Gyarados' Twister attack had created an opening in the ceiling, giving him access to the sun immediately. While he gathered energy, Crasher Wake ordered his Gyarados to use Bite again.

Gyarados bit down, clamping its powerful jaws around Grotle's body. This time, Gyarados succeeded in creating a crack down the centre of Grotle's shell. Grotle's anguished cry reverberated throughout the gym hall, making Dawn's insides turn cold. He was in so much pain; she could see his facial features contort in agony, but he continued to draw in energy. The crack continued to lengthen until it ran directly from one end to the other. The shell fell apart just as Grotle launched his Solarbeam attack, directly into Gyarados' mouth.

The beam imploded in the serpent's mouth. Gyarados crashed down into the water no longer able to fight, but what of Grotle? She turned to face her beloved companion. He began to shake violently. His body became encased in a white light and Dawn shielded her eyes from the brightness. A few moments later, a much larger tortoise stood before her. The breaking of Grotle's shell had somehow triggered an evolution.

His right bush had been replaced by three large sharp rocks which seemed to resemble mountains while the left bush had turned into a sturdy twin bushes. Two spikes jutted out from both sides of his head making him look quite fearsome. Small beady red eyes stared back at her. She brought out her Pokedex.

 _Torterra. The final evolution of Turtwig. Some Pokemon are born on a Torterra's back and spend their entire life there._

She put it away.

"In all my years as a trainer, I have never seen a Pokemon evolution triggered by the loss of a part," Crasher Wake said, recalling his fainted Gyarados. "Your bond with your Pokemon must run deep."

He threw out his second Pokemon. A strange light blue, bipedal, amphibious creature appeared. It was quite an ugly creature, with a large broad head and equally large mouth with tiny black eyes.

 _Quagsire. It has an easygoing nature. It doesn't care if it bumps its head on boats and rocks while swimming._

An unintelligent Pokemon then, Dawn thought. Either that or it just had a bizarre taste in fun. "Torterra, use Mega Drain!" This Pokemon was definitely not a flying-type – it looked too fat, clumsy and slow to even be able to jump. Vines burst from the twin bushes, launching themselves at the Quagsire, wrapping around its slimy waist. Quagsire tried to wriggle free, but the vines held him in place, sucking the energy out of the weird creature and repairing Torterra's wounds. Quagsire's battle time was short lived as it fainted the moment Torterra released his hold. _That was easy,_ thought Dawn. _Too easy._

"This is where it gets exciting!" Crasher Wake exclaimed, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "Go, Floatzel!" A Pokemon which looked like the parent of Barry's Buizel appeared before her. They looked almost identical, except this one was larger.

 _Floatzel. The final evolution of Buizel. It is a common sight around fishing ports. It is known to rescue people and carry off prey._

"Floatzel, use Ice Fang!" Floatzel dived into the water and swam around the platform, propelling itself forward with its tail. It jumped out of the pool, landing on Torterra's head, and bit down with icicle fangs. An ice casing formed over Torterra's body freezing him in place. The Floatzel slammed his tail against the casing shattering it into pieces. Much to Dawn's surprise, Torterra fell down on his belly, a low groan leaving this throat. "You should know ice-type moves are deadly against dual grass ground types!"

Thankfully, she had Honchkrow still available, but would the bird be able to defeat the speedy otter? She called out Honchrow again. Honchkrow looked up at her. "Okay, Honchkrow. It's up to you now." The avian nodded and took to the air for safety. As long as he managed to stay out of reach, the Floatzel wouldn't be able to land an attack.

"Floatzel, use Aqua Jet!" Floatzel hurried over to the edge of the platform and smacked his tail across the water, flinging a powerful jet of water into the air.

"Dodge it, Honchkrow!" Honchkrow evaded the attack, rolling to the right, narrowly avoiding the blast. "Now use Wing Attack!" Feathers fell to the ground, their sharp tips piercing the flesh of all it hit. The agile Floatzel managed to avoid the feathers by seeking protection under the surface of the water.

"Use Aqua Jet again, Floatzel!" Another blast of a powerful water attack, but Honchkrow avoided it again, putting his aerial acrobatics moves to good use. Crasher Wake seemed surprised, as if he had never seen a Flying-type Pokemon perform tricks in the air. Dawn thought hard. Floatzel was much faster, but it was also its downfall. Speedier Pokemon tired quicker because the recovery time between moves was slower than that of a less speedy opponent. All she had to do was draw out the battle until the otter became slow and sluggish. At the speed the Floatzel was maintaining, it wouldn't be much longer until it became exhausted.

"Honchkrow, use Night Slash!" Honchkrow dropped down from the air and raked his talons forward as he drew closer to the Floatzel. Floatzel leapt out of the way and Honchkrow struck the ground instead, his sharp talons scratching the surface. He beat his wings and flew up before the Floatzel could use a close-range attack.

"Floatzel, use another Aqua Jet!"

"Avoid it, Honchkrow!" Honchkrow pinned his wings to his body and dropped to evade the blow then flared his wings, stopping him from falling. He flapped again, regaining lost altitude and flew around in a circle, waiting for the right moment to counter-attack. Floatzel's movements were losing speed and power the longer the battle drew on. She was reminded of the match against Maylene's Lucario whom had also been a vastly superior Pokemon in terms of speed. "Now use Wing Attack!" This time, the feathered arrows made contact.

Floatzel fell down landing on his backside, eyes glancing up at the ceiling. It was gasping for breath, its chest heaving with each passing second. "Floatzel, use Aqua Jet!" Again, the Floatzel struck the water mercilessly, another mighty stream of water flying up high into the air. Honchkrow avoided it again. Floatzel hunched over, panting. It was close to exhaustion now.

"Honchkrow, finish this battle with Night Slash!" Honchkrow crashed down to the ground, his wings pinned back as a safety precaution. He threw his entire weight against the Floatzel, his talons being the first part of his body to strike their target. Floatzel was thrown backwards from the impact. The otter tried to stand up, but couldn't, his stamina completely depleted now.

Crasher Wake looked on, startled, then shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. He walked over to Dawn and held out his hand. "It seems the undertow pulled me under… But I had a great time battling with you! You've earned this, the Fen Badge!" In the palm of his hand was a gym badge. The badge was shaped like a lake with grey reeds around it. "The styles of battling and winning are as widely varied as trainers are. Do you want to know how I battle? I battle so I can say I had fun at the end, whether I win or lose!"

She took the badge from him. "I hope I don't have to swim to the other end again?"

He shook his head. "There's an exit here. You can just walk around back to the front to pick up your belongings."

Thank Arceus for that. "I guess I'll be off then. Where's the next gym?"

"You'll want to head to Canalave City next, but to get there you'll have to pass through Celestic Town. Byron will be your next challenger – he's a Steel-type specialist and the father of Roark, Oreburgh's gym leader." Dawn turned around to leave when Crasher Wake spoke again. "Before you leave, I want you to see the Great Marsh before I close it down for the season. When you're ready, meet me out the front of the Pokemon Centre!" He led her towards the exit and she stepped outside feeling relieved. Breathing in the earthly odour of the swamp was far more pleasant than breathing in chlorine. Crasher Wake headed over to the Pokemon Centre and Dawn headed back towards the gym's entrance to collect her belongings.

.

Carolina approached him as she opened the container in her pocket, preparing herself for the moment to strike. His back was turned to her and she wondered if he was even aware of her presence. He seemed to be engrossed with the painting. She debated with herself whether to attack or wait until he explained himself. Stopping him now would end Galactic's plans. All she had to do was draw out her weapon, stab him someplace and watch him fall to the ground, unconscious.

Her hand pried open the container and she slipped her fingers inside, her digits brushing up against a syringe. The syringe held a strong enough dosage to put him in a coma for a couple of days. Without their leader, the Galactic Corporation would fall apart and Sinnoh would be a safe place for trainers again. She had almost drawn out her weapon when he turned around. Quickly, she released her grip and dropped her hands to the side, pretending to act like nothing had happened. He didn't seem to have noticed for her sake.

"I had a feeling the grunts wouldn't be able to hold you down," he said.

Carolina took a step closer. If she wanted to take him down she had to be close enough to strike without him suspecting a thing. "Why have you come?" she said, making slow conversation, hoping to lower his guard so she could strike.

"I wanted to stop by and talk to my favourite teacher," he replied dryly."I learned a great deal from you, Carolina." He moved away from the wall and stood behind her. She remained still, not daring to move a muscle at all. She had to let him think he was in control of the situation. He continued to talk. "For that, you have earned the right to play a role in turning my goal into a reality."

"I don't want to play _any_ part in bringing your maddened schemes to life!" she hissed.

He snorted. "You don't have a choice." He brought his head down and whispered into her right ear. "Don't seem so surprised. Consider this as payback. You took my choice away when I was your student and now I'm returning the favour." He pulled away. She was surprised to hear the anger in his voice. As a kid, he kept to himself and never expressed any form of emotion during class. Some of the kids used to bully him, mistaking his silence for arrogance.

She drew in a deep breath. "Your father-"

"My father _hated_ me and you knew it!" he snarled. He paused, recollected himself and spoke again. "And yet, you did nothing."

"I do not interfere with the lives of people outside my family."

"That's a hypocritical statement to make, professor. You seemed to enjoy ruining Johanna's life."

"I was protecting her from you." He raised an eyebrow. "You are right – I knew exactly what your father was like and that's why I tried to drive you away. You may have played the victim role perfectly, but I was not going to allow myself to be fooled. Your father's blood runs through you as well and there was no telling what you would do to Johanna. I did what was necessary."

She saw a flash of anger in his eyes. He leaned in forward over her right shoulder and whispered into her ear. "And I am doing what is necessary," he hissed then pulled back, but placed two hands on her shoulders, directing her body towards the cave painting. "The world we live in is rife with strife. Emotions make us weak. We're capable of doing so much more yet we choose not to act because of feelings. Emotions hold us back."

"That is one way to look at it, but you're wrong. Emotions help us advance – without feeling we would have no motivation, no desire to do anything at all. Having no emotions removes the purpose of living."

"Cynthia told me the same thing awhile back… Did you tell her to say that?" Carolina said nothing. He tightened his grip on her shoulder blades causing her to wince. "You argue emotions are valuable and give purpose to life. You claim it drives humanity forward, but I disagree." He pulled back a hand and pointed at the painting. "You asked me earlier why I had come here. It's a distraction – Right now, my grunts are preparing to capture the Lake Guardians. With the power of the trio, I will then be able to create a powerful tool to summon Dialga and Palkia to create a new universe."

Her heart skipped a beat. That was his ultimate plan? To create a new universe? Was it even possible? "That is madness! You want to punish the world because of your own experience? That is chi-" Her speech was interrupted by a hand covering her mouth.

"I call it justice," he said in a low voice then removed his hand from her mouth, allowing her to speak again. He paused again for dramatic effect. "I have to thank you though… for giving me the basics. You told us how to create a sleeping potion, do you remember?"

She did. It was one part of her history she kept concealed from everyone. It was why she had locked the study room, to prevent other people from stumbling across her laboratory notes. When she was young, pokeballs hadn't been invented and people tried to come up with ways to capture them for scientific purposes. She invented the sleeping potion allowing researchers everywhere to study Pokemon up close.

"I took your basic idea and turned it into something far more powerful." He removed his other hand from her shoulder. She was about to turn around when she was shoved roughly into the cave painting. A groan left her throat. "I would like you to give the order, _professor_ , as thanks for your assistance. My men wait for the order." He held his Xtransceiver against her head. "Tell them 'now is the time'."

She tried to struggle, but his hold was far too strong. "You will pay for your crimes, Cyrus!"

"I wish it didn't have to come down to this moment, but you've left me without a choice," he replied in a surprisingly gentle tone. "Maybe if you hadn't tried so hard to punish me, things might have turned out differently. You… my father… You never tried to see things from my perspective nor did you attempt to understand me."

"Your grandparents…"

"Didn't try hard enough," he finished. "Stop stalling. You're only delaying the inevitable."

"And Johanna? Dawn?"

There was a brief pause. "An unfortunate sacrifice," he replied. She felt him reach down a hand into her pocket and glanced down. He had picked up her container holding the syringe and placed the tip against her neck. Drawing in a sharp intake of breath, she felt her body tense in anticipation, knowing what was to come. "You make everything so much harder on yourself. Say it, or I will inject you. They're waiting."

She could see no option to escape from this. Cynthia was somewhere else, Jade didn't have a Pokemon and her neighbours didn't have Pokemon. It wasn't like he would just let her go – he wouldn't listen to reason. This entire situation was ironic. He was driven by emotion, the very thing he wanted to abolish, claiming it was justice. Perhaps his strong desire to eradicate the world of emotion stemmed from a deep insecurity within himself, created by the unstable upbringing he had as a child. She steadied her breaths and spoke into the Xtransceiver. "Now is the time," she said, feeling him pull the Xtransceiver away. May Arceus have mercy on them all.

"I've changed my mind," he whispered. "What is it that people say? Giving you a taste of your own medicine?"

The next few seconds happened so quickly, her brain struggled to process it. There was a stab, an implosion of a sharp pain followed by a sense of numbness in her neck. Her knees buckled and a sense of extreme weariness poured through her. She dropped to the floor, her head smacking against the hard floor. Darkness soon overcame her.

.

She was halfway through getting dressed when she heard a loud explosion nearby. A violent tremor soon followed, causing the entire room to shake. It was as if the ground itself was trying to tear itself apart. The chilling, panicked cries of the local Pokemon filled the air. She quickly changed into her clothes, grabbed her bag and hurried out of the gym.

A cloud of smoke billowed in the near distance coming from what appeared to be a swamp environment. She noticed the unmistakable messy bushel of Barry standing at the gatehouse.

"Barry!" Dawn called out, running towards him.

He looked at her with wide eyes, his face so pale he almost looked sick. "I was on my way to Canalave City and I heard an explosion… I came running back as fast as I could…" His bottom lip trembled. "Crasher Wake raced into the Great Marsh…" He turned his attention to the entrance to the swamp. "You think we should check up on him?"

Dawn tried to form words, but nothing left her mouth. The shock of an explosion had left her speechless. Her heart wept for the Pokemon who lived in the swamp. Had they perished in the blast? Her chin trembled. "The Pokemon… Do you think…" She looked at Barry. An image of bloodied corpses entered her mind. Innocent Pokemon. Fathers. Mothers. Babies. Possibly dead. "I have to know," she said softly, wiping her eyes, drawing in a deep shaky breath.

"Dawn! Wait!" Barry called, but Dawn sprinted towards the entrance.

She regretted entering the moment she set foot in the swamp environment. "Oh Arceus…" she murmured, her eyes absorbing the devastation before her. The native flora had not suffered, but damage had still been done. The marks of the explosion stained the ground, mixed with the blood and bodies of the unfortunate, the innocent Pokemon that had been unable to escape in time. She was surrounded by the dead – various body parts of Pokemon lay scattered across the grounds in mangled pieces. Tears threatened to spill, but they would not fall.

There was movement in the corner of her eye. She turned around and found a man lying down on the grass, blood seeping through the various cuts in his clothes. "…Gala-Galactic will-" a man spoke then coughed violently, forcing up a few gobs of blood. Dawn cringed at the sight, but she did not avert her gaze. "This is… the beginning of the e-end…" He started laughing, although it sounded more like a violent choking episode rather than laughter. Blood dribbled down the sides of his mouth. His laughter ceased, and his eyelids snapped shut, head rolling to one side. Dead. Just like the other innocent Pokemon caught in the crossfire.

"Dawn!" she heard Barry's voice. She felt his presence nearby and immediately turned to face him, throwing her arms around her friend, catching him off guard. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Last time she had been ashamed to show her tears, but this time was different. She cried for the lives lost here today. Barry held her tightly, letting Dawn express her grief on his shoulder. Rain started to fall.

Tears mixed with raindrops. Her sobs were drowned out by the pounding rain. "We have to get out of here, Dawn! There's nothing we can do here!" Barry said. She didn't want to leave, but he was right – there was no way to undo the damage. She allowed Barry to lead her out back into the city. The images of the dead remained implanted in mind and she knew they'd never leave. They headed to the Pokemon Centre. Locals that had remained behind were here too grieving for the lives lost.

Dawn sat down on the couch, biting hard down on her lower lip, trying to stop a new flood of tears from flowing. "Why…" she started, drawing in a deep breath. "Why would someone do this?"

"I don't know Dawn, but we're going to find the one responsible and we'll make them pay for the crime that happened here today," Barry said softly. She opened her mouth to speak further when Crasher Wake entered the Pokemon Centre. She lifted her head up and looked at him through blurry eyes.

"Everyone needs to evacuate the city now. If you have family and friends living in other cities, now is the time to visit," he said in a controlled tone. Dawn wasn't sure how he was keeping it together, but she suspected it had something to do with being a gym leader. Gym leaders were meant to be strong in times of crisis.

"But what about our belongings? We can't just leave everything here!" a woman cried.

"You must only take what is necessary. Please, you must leave now before the entrances and exits are flooded out."

The woman and her two children exited the building. Other residents did the same, keeping their heads lowered, as they walked out. Barry helped Dawn to her feet. She sniffed and wiped her tears away, trying to will herself not to sob uncontrollably. "What happened?" she heard Barry speak.

Crasher Wake walked over, fingers curled into fists. His arms were shaking. It seemed to be taking all his willpower not to punch something in fury. "Someone snuck a bomb into the Great Marsh," he answered with controlled anger. "You two must leave. The police will be arriving here as soon as they can to investigate. I will remain here to provide answers, but you two must carry on with your journeys."

"We want to help," Barry said.

The gym leader shook his head. "The Great Marsh is my responsibility and I failed to keep it safe. This burden does not fall upon you. Go now while you can. Good luck, trainers." He reached a hand down into his pocket and pulled out two small yellow bags.

"What is this?" Dawn said.

"You will not have time to heal your Pokemon, so take these pouches of Sacred Ash. A pinch of ash will fully revive a fainted Pokemon – use it sparingly. We won't be able to obtain more ash until Stark Mountain erupts again. Oh, and Dawn, take this. This is a Water Stone – I heard you won the tournament in Solaceon." He reached down into his hand again, pulling out a small blue stone. She took it and placed it in her bag. "Take care." He left the building.

Dawn and Barry traded glances. "Crasher Wake is going to fix everything. He's going to find the one responsible," Barry said his tone laced with confidence. She wished she shared his confidence, but Barry didn't know what she did. The grunt had claimed he was doing it for Galactic. Would they do it again? How many other lives would be lost? Barry frowned. "Everything is going to be all right, Dawn."

She sniffed. "Yeah, you're right." She was amazed by Barry's ability to keep it together. He was obviously shaken by the explosion judging by his earlier reaction, but he was doing a much better job of coping than herself. It must be a male thing, she thought. "I guess we should get going." She gave one last fleeting look over her shoulder at the Great Marsh before turning around to follow Barry towards the city's exit.

 _._

Cynthia arrived in Celestic Town as fast as she could after receiving a call from her sister. Jade had spoken in quick sentences giving Cynthia the impression she was highly stressed because she never spoke in that fashion. Her suspicions were confirmed when she arrived in the village and found Galactic grunts present, standing before their prisoners, flanked by their Pokemon. She had enough power to take on a small group, but there were far too many grunts here to manage. Fortunately, her sister had escaped along with Linda and her husband.

"Hey, it's the blonde lady! The Champion!" one grunt said.

The other grunt ignored him. "We'll let you walk through this village in peace, Champion, but if you summon one of your Pokemon we will not hesitate to fight back. People will be hurt and it will be your fault."

He was right. The elderly people in the village would not be able to escape in time and blame would fall upon her for failing in her job to protect the region she swore to defend. "Where is your leader? I would like to speak with him."

"In the shrine with some old lady with an attitude problem."

Some old lady with an attitude problem? That was obviously her grandmother. She didn't know of any other elderly females like her. She made her way to the shrine, feeling many pairs of eyes watching her every movement. Even the Pokemon of the grunts were watching her, ready to attack at any sign of trouble should their masters give the word.

She reached the shrine without any trouble though and stepped inside. Cyrus was standing at the opposite end, standing over the still body of her grandmother. "Grandmother!" she blurted, running forward to kneel down besides her, feeling her insides turn cold. She placed a hand against her neck feeling for a pulse. Thankfully, she felt one.

"Champion," Cyrus said, looking down at her, with an expression she couldn't decipher. It looked to fall somewhere between amusement and interest. "I was not expecting your arrival."

She glared up at him. "What did you do to her?"

"Your grandmother is fine. She is sleeping," he replied tonelessly.

She stood up raising her hands faking submission. The last thing she wanted to do was become trapped in a cave while his grunts came to his rescue. "I know what you're trying to do, but it's not the right way. This needs to stop."

His look intensified. "You're already too late, Champion. The dawn of a new age rapidly approaches – do you really think I'm going to step down when I've come so far?"

She hid her irritation at his conceit. "I'm giving you the chance to step down now."

"So you can arrest me and lock me up behind bars to ridicule me?" He snorted. "I will not be caged like an animal," he almost snarled. He recollected himself, took a deep breath in then cast his eyes downwards at her grandmother. "Save your breath. Your words are wasted here. Your grandmother tried and she failed." He pulled his gaze away, locking eyes with Cynthia.

It was strange to see how someone could change so much over a couple of months. The last time Cynthia had crossed paths with him he seemed relatively stable, but now there was an almost maddened gleam in his eyes, as if he was possessed by something fiendish. Was she too late to help him? Had he stepped too far over the line? Had he reached a point of which there was no return? For Dawn and Johanna's sake, she hoped that wasn't the case. "I can help you."

He gave a derisive snort. "Help? I'm not the one who needs saving."

"The lives of innocent people are at stake!" she pleaded, feeling a sudden, inexplicable sense of fear.

"You dare call these people innocent?!" She jumped at the sudden change in volume in his voice. His eyes were burning with black fire. "You might have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who cared, but I have not had the luxury. I've been left alone in the darkness for longer than you have lived, Champion. Any thought of hope has long since perished."

Perhaps he was a lost cause. He seemed determined to refute every argument she raised, turning a blind eye to a different perspective. The mental wounds he had received in his childhood had never truly healed. Was this going to end in blood? _No,_ she berated herself. Never give up on hope. "This will not end the way you believe it will."

The fury in his eyes dimmed. "Talk to your grandmother about her experiments and then tell me these people are worth saving. You will see that I am right."

He pushed past her and exited the cave, leaving Cynthia alone with her grandmother. Letting him walk freely wasn't the wisest choice, but he had her surrounded. She looked at the cave painting and the wall. "I will save you." She looked down and frowned. Cyrus had mentioned something about her grandmother's experiments. Was he trying to play mind games with her or did his words have an actual meaning behind them? Bringing her hands to her temples, she rubbed them and sighed, making a silent prayer to Arceus that everything was going to turn out all right in the end.


	20. Questioning Beliefs

Thanks to JellyBunnyBeans and Tgonthefiery for reviewing the previous chapter.

If that guest is still checking this out, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I have no intentions of becoming an author. I just write for fun.

 **.**

 **Chapter Nineteen: Questioning Beliefs**

Reaching Canalave City had taken a couple of days, taking her on a wet and cold journey towards the northern part of the region. Her journey took her towards Celestic Town, but the main entrance was blocked because of an incident involving Team Galactic. Instead, she had been forced to take a path through the forest to reach the destination of her next gym badge. Fortunately, the journey had been a relatively short one thanks to Barry's company.

He hadn't stayed with her for the entire walk though, running ahead, claiming he was finding hard travelling at snail pace. Dawn didn't feel too concerned about him leaving since she knew she'd meet up with him again in due time since they had a habit of running into each other. She pulled the hood off her raincoat down and stepped through the gate house.

As she exited the gate house, the salty smell of the ocean filled her nostrils, filling her with sadness. It reminded her of the earthly odour of Pastoria's Great Marsh and with that came the images of the disaster that had taken place. She drew in a deep breath and forced the visuals aside, knowing she had to be strong for the remainder of her journey.

Canalave's environment was different from every place she had visited so far had been surrounded by trees or low cliffs, but this city was open to the sea. A chilly breeze coming from the northern most city, Snowpoint, blew through the area, causing her to shudder involuntarily. She wrapped her arms around her body and hurried towards the Pokemon Centre on the northern right corner of the city. Canalave was separated by a canal and the other side could be accessed by crossing over the drawbridge. The bridge looked sturdy enough, but would it hold if a tidal wave rushed the city? There'd be no place to go since the city was so open.

She shuddered again as another strong burst of chilly wind brushed up against her skin and quickly pushed the doors of the Pokemon Centre open. Closing the doors behind her, she walked over towards the counter to heal up her Pokemon when she came to an abrupt stop. Something was moving inside her bag! Immediately, she glanced down, wondering if a wild Pokemon had somehow jumped inside to hide from the rain. Carefully, set place it down on the ground and zipped it open.

The Eevee egg was safely secured in a corner and now it was moving back and forth, trying to break free of the strap holding it in place. She removed the protective casing around it and discarded it on the floor, watching the egg with interest. There was a crack running directly down the middle. She drew her face closer then jumped back, as a tiny claw protruded from the crack, wriggling around, trying to break more shell.

More pieces of egg shell fell off as the vibrations intensified. Soon, the bottom of her bag was lined with shell. A brown feline creature with round black eyes emerged from the remains of the egg, its fluffy tail held erect. Dawn reached down and placed her hands around the Eevee, gently lifting the baby Pokemon out of its egg. The feline tried to jump out of her hands, but Dawn held it in place. Was it a male or a female? She moved her head beneath the Eevee's wriggling body then lowered her new friend back into her bag so the Eevee couldn't escape. Eevee was a female, bringing her gender ratio to five to one. Did gender even matter when it came to Pokemon battles? She wasn't sure. Eevee started gnawing on the pouch of Sacred Ash.

Dawn gently pushed the Eevee away and shook her finger in her face. "No," she said firmly. Eevee pinned her ears against her head, wrapping her fluffy tail around her body, giving Dawn the impression her Eevee was sad. Dawn wasn't going to allow herself to be fooled by the adorable expression. Eevee had to learn discipline early on. She reached down and scratched Eevee behind the ears, earning a soft purring noise from the feline.

"A newly-hatched Pokemon!" the nurse cooed, leaning over the counter, gushing over the cuteness of her Eevee.

Dawn nodded. "Is there anything I need to know about baby Pokemon?"

"Newly-hatched Pokemon require a lot of attention in their first few days. They are naturally curious as you can imagine and they must be supervised at all times. Since you don't have the parent Pokemon, you'll need to give your Eevee a specially made potion to allow her to grow into a strong and healthy adult." The nurse walked around the counter, carrying a small bottle of white milk and handed it to Dawn.

"Thanks."

The nurse crouched down besides her. "Do you know what Eevee evolution you want?"

Dawn nodded again. "Vaporean. I already have a water stone."

"I'd wait until your Pokemon is past the weaning stage before evolving her. Sometimes, an early evolution can cause problems for your Pokemon later down the road, like physical deformities and such." She scratched the Eevee and smiled. "I would also advise involving your Eevee in battling until the weaning stage has passed. Early injuries can be fatal early on."

Dawn placed the bottle inside her bag. Eevee jumped on it and started attacking it with her claws making Dawn chuckle at the silliness of it all. "How many times do I feed her?"

"Twice a day – when the sun rises and when the sun begins to set. She'll only need a few sips so this potion will last you until the weaning stage is over." The nurse stood up. Dawn made sure her Eevee was safely in her bag before standing up. Eevee poked her head out of the bag, wagging her tail from side to side. "Would you like your Pokemon healed?"

"Yes please."

She headed over to the counter, setting her bag on the floor again then removed her pokebelt, handing it over to the nurse. The nurse took it and removed the pokeballs, placing them in a machine. The healing process took a few short minutes. "There you go!" the nurse chirped. She reattached the pokeballs to the belt and handed it back over.

Dawn thanked her and exited the building, carefully slinging the bag over her shoulder. She made her way towards the gym when she spotted Barry exiting from it. He greeted her with his usual trademark grin. "Hey there, Dawn! You're going to challenge the gym leader, right? Well, I've already beaten him and you should be able to as well since you're almost as strong as I am."

"Almost as strong as I am? Have you forgotten that I defeated you the last time you and I battled?"

"That was a long time ago and I'm stronger than that now." He stepped aside. "Anyway, you go on and battle the gym leader. When you're done, I want you to come to the library here in Canalave. I want to show you this awesome book I found! You'll love it, I'm sure of it. Well, see you there, Dawn! Don't take too long otherwise I might have to fine you!" He gave her another dazzling grin then raced towards the only two-storey building in the city.

Dawn pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

.

Candice glanced down at the notes on her desk, her eyes briefly skimming over the information. There was at least a fortnight's worth of homework sitting on the table. Sighing, she picked up the first workbook and opened to the first page. "Ice-type Pokemon – Strengths and Weaknesses," she read aloud, groaning inwardly.

She didn't understand why her tutor even bothered giving her homework on ice-type Pokemon. She was the gym trainer of Snowpoint City, the home of ice-type Pokemon, and answering questions about her type speciality seemed stupid. Why couldn't her tutor give her homework on a type she wasn't so familiar with, such as the dark-type or psychic-type?

But her tutor insisted on it, claiming studying the ice-type would help maximize her bond with her Pokemon. Her tutor, Lorelei, was a former member of the Indigo League, but had left to pursue her interests elsewhere – that interest was teaching and now she offered her services to other ice-type trainers, helping them achieve the status of an ice-type master.

Candice respected the woman for her skills, but Lorelei was so blunt and lacked a sense of humour, it was a task to even put up with her for two hours a week. With another sigh, she tried to force herself to read the words written on the paper, but found her concentration drifting to other places – like the gossip column in her favourite magazine, 'Sinnoh Times'. Reading the magazine was so much more interesting than reading Lorelei's notes about the obvious.

She was about to open her drawer to read some more when she heard a knock on the back door. Curious, she stood up and walked over to open it, surprised to hear someone outside. She didn't remember inviting anyone over. Her fingers wrapped around the knob and she twisted it clockwise until it popped open. Standing outside in the freezing cold was Maylene dressed in garments Candice never thought she'd ever see the girl wear.

"Maylene!" she enthused. "I wasn't expecting you!" She ushered the girl inside and hurried over to make her friend something hot to drink.

Maylene sat down at the table after removing her thick woolly jumper. "I wanted to get out of the city for awhile… I needed to clear my head."

Candice grabbed a white mug from the overhead cabinet then placed it on the counter before turning on the kettle. Once the water started to boil, she headed back over and leaned against her desk, giving Maylene an impatient look. Her fellow gym leaders only visited her in summer when the snow stopped falling claiming it was too cold to make the long trek during the other seasons.

Candice hardly noticed the difference – woolly jumpers and long pants were still worn in the summer months. She was beginning to suspect her fellow gym leaders were just lazy – except for Maylene who enjoyed making the trek, claiming it increased her fitness. "It's about a boy, isn't it?" she said, grinning.

Maylene frowned. "What makes you think that?"

"Your summer-time visits usually aren't this early in the season," Candice replied, her grin widening at the tinge of red appearing on Maylene's cheeks. "I mean, the snow is still falling – it won't stop until next week. So, come on, give me the juicy details. Who is he and what did he do?"

The Veilstone gym leader fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat, moving her eyes away from Candice to stare at something on the ground. That just heightened Candice's curiosity – whoever it was it must've been someone Maylene liked strongly to want to avoid the topic. "Just some guy, that's all. He's not a problem anymore," she said, although she didn't sound convinced.

Candice's grinned widened. "Oh come on, Maylene! Don't be like this! You can't keep it all bottled up inside, you know," she teased, climbing onto her desk, swinging her legs from left to right.

"All right, all right!" Candice looked at her expectantly as Maylene took in a deep breath. "It's Volkner."

"Oooo, does Maylene have a crush?" Candice said lightly, her grin widening, as Maylene's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. "And on Volkner too! That's so cute!" she squealed. "I can't say I'm surprised though – I always thought you were the only girl who could put him in his place. So, what did he do? Did he serenade you with a song? Give you some flowers and a box of chocolate? Take you out on a date somewhere?"

Maylene just looked at her as if to say, 'what are you going on about?' "He kissed me, reeking of cheap alcohol at the casino – not exactly my idea of 'romantic'," she replied sourly.

Candice gasped. "He did that? I hope you taught him a lesson… You did, right?"

"I slapped him."

"And that's it?" Candice was shocked. She just _slapped_ him? "You just slapped him?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Uh, hit him where it hurts?"

Maylene's eyes widened. "I wouldn't hurt him that bad."

"Well," Candice replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "That's what I would've done."

Maylene sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I want to help him, Candice. Call me a fool, but I… Don't want to stand by idly and watch him suffer. He's a gym leader, he's one of us whether he likes it or not, and I just wish he'd understand that people do care for him," she blurted out, taking Candice by surprise. Maylene must've realized what she had said and blushed again, her face almost as red as Flint's hair. "He already suspects that I might care about him."

"Might?" Candice snorted. "Make that do care and I think it's cute."

"You think everything is cute."

Candice shrugged. "Fair point… I know he upset you, and you have every right to be mad, but if you really want to help him, you need to make sure he understands that. I know you like him, so stop making yourself miserable and do something about it, otherwise you might lose him forever."

"You've been reading way too many romance novels."

"It's better than reading these notes Lorelei gave me…" she murmured. "But seriously, you're a fighter – I thought fighters never gave up?" The kettle stopped boiling and Candice hopped off the table to prepare Maylene a mug of hot chocolate.

"You're saying I should tell him?" A dry laugh left her throat, as if she thought the girl was making a joke. "You think he'd listen to me after I sent him packing and told him not to return?"

Candice returned, placing the mug on the table before Maylene. The fighter picked it up and took a sip then set it down again. "What do you fight for again?" She gazed upwards then lowered her gaze again. "Don't you fight for tears, love, courage and hope?" Maylene remained quiet. Candice continued. "All I'm saying is, don't abandon all hope. Go and get your man," she added, flashing a grin. Maylene rolled her eyes, but a smile was beginning to form on her face.

She stood up. "You really need to lay off the romance novels."

"And you need to head over to Sunyshore now and give Volkner a good beating." Candice pushed Maylene towards the door after giving the fighter her jumper back. Maylene put it on and pushed the door open, inviting a cold breeze to enter the gym. She shuddered. "Be sure to call me!" Maylene just chuckled and exited the gym and Candice closed the door, shutting out the cool wind. She turned to her books again and sighed. _Time to hit the books,_ she thought.

.

As per usual, the gym advisor was standing at the entrance, waiting to give challengers advice for the upcoming challenge. Dawn wondered how he managed to get here so quickly and figured he must've had a Pokemon that could fly to transport him around in reasonable time. He waved at her and beckoned her over. "Are you ready to claim your sixth gym badge?"

She nodded, looking around the gym, noticing there was a lift before her. It was a bland looking room with plain grey walls and matching floor tiles. Since gyms were designed to represent a type, she figured this was a steel-type based gym judging by her grey surroundings. "I am ready."

"As you've probably already figured it out, all trainers in this gym specialize with the Steel-type. Steel-type Pokemon have a strong defence which will make it difficult for your Pokemon to inflict damage, but they do have quite a few weaknesses for you to take advantage of. Ground-type Pokemon are super weak to water and ground-type moves so make sure you have a Pokemon that knows such a move to win! Oh, some fire-types will be useful here as well against steel-types without ground as a secondary typing!"

Torterra was part-ground and she had upgraded her Pokemon's move set before leaving Pastoria. Now he knew Earthquake and she was glad she had purchased it. "So how do I get around this gym?" she said, checking down into her bag to make sure Eevee couldn't escape. The last thing she needed was for her newborn to get caught in the middle of a fierce fight. Fortunately, Eevee didn't seem interested in causing problems, finding nibbling on Dawn's bag more fascinating that her surroundings. She looked at the advisor again.

The advisor drew her attention towards the lift in the centre of the room. "Byron waits for you at the very bottom, so you'll have to use the lifts to descend into the underground. When you reach the second level you'll have an option of choosing a door – one door will lead you to a battle and the other will be battle free, but both will take you to Byron, so it doesn't really matter which one you select," he explained.

Dawn nodded. "Thanks." He just smiled in response and Dawn made her way to the lift to begin the descent to the bottom. She was vaguely reminded of Roark's gym although his was quite basic in comparison. Stepping into the lift, she pressed the big red arrow pointing down. It took a few moments for her to reach the first level where a trainer in a miner's outfit awaited her. The room was rather large – Roark's gym could fit in this room.

The male, called Gary, readjusted his yellow helmet then faced her. "I'll show you why defence is the best form of offense!"

He brought a hand to his pokebelt and threw out his only pokeball. A grey, robotic, circular type creature with a single, large emerged from its pokeball, levitating in one spot. There were two horse shoes attached to both sides of its head and a screw above its single eye. She brought out her Pokedex to obtain data.

 _Magnemite. The faster the units at its sides rotate, the greater the magnetic force they generate._

The advisor had mentioned Fire-types would do well here against those without a secondary typing of Ground. Her Pokemon had levelled up significantly since their last major battle thanks to the large amount of trainers on the route between Pastoria and Canalave.

"Houndour, this battle is all yours!" Dawn cried out, summoning her Houndour to the battlefield. Houndour wagged his tail, and gnashed his jaws at the Magnemite, eager to battle. "Houndour, use Fire Blast!" He opened his jaws, brought back his head and held it in place until an orb of fire formed in his mouth. He lunged forward, expelling the ball from his mouth. As the ball sailed forwards, the flames encasing it grew in size. It smashed into the Magnemite and exploded, taking down the opponent down in one hit. The screw on its head melted and the Magnemite fell to the floor.

"Oh no, you defeated my Magnemite!" Gary wailed.

While Gary dropped to his knees, Dawn hopped back on the lift with her Houndour, and pressed the red arrow pointing down again. A couple of moments passed and she found herself on level two. Two identical doors were before her. Dawn decided to go left and climbed onto another lift taking her down even further underground. She hopped off on the next level and entered the room where trainer dressed brown leather awaited.

"I'm Cesar, an ace trainer! You won't be able to get past me!" he boasted, brushing green bangs aside from his face.

Dawn didn't know what an ace trainer was - were they trainers possessed an above average skill set when compared to the common trainer? Did ace trainers eventually become gym leaders or was it just a label to boost one's status? Houndour stepped in front of Dawn, eager to take on another battle.

Cesar threw out a single pokeball. A bipedal, bug-type Pokemon with a red, metallic casing emerged. The Pokemon raised its abnormally large pincers and made a cutting gesture. Dawn swallowed nervously, raising her Pokedex.

 _Scizor. The final evolution of Scyther. It raises its pincers with eyelike markings for intimidation. It also swings them down dangerously."_

Houndour growled. "Scizor, use Razor Wind!" The Scizor buzzed its wings, whipping up a violent windstorm behind it. Something invisible attacked her body and she winced, biting down on her lip to stop herself from crying out. Glancing down, she was surprised to see a tiny wound had formed. It was like receiving a paper cut but only it wasn't caused by paper. Blood leaked out of the cut. Houndour swatted at his nose as he too received a cut. Scizor's wings buzzed even harder and Dawn yelped, as she received more invisible cuts to her body.

"Houndour, use Fire Blast!" Houndour conjured a ball of flame as Scizor's windstorm died down, much to Dawn's relief. She was bleeding from various cuts on her body and it felt like the wind had been trying to rip her skin apart. Although the storm was over, she could still feel the burning sting. The ball of fire sailed forwards, closing in on the Scizor when the bug jumped to the right, narrowly avoiding the ball by an inch. Houndour's ball of fire collided into the wall, leaving a black mark on it.

"Scizor, use Fury Cutter!" The bug sped forward, and scooped up Houndour with a massive pincer then slashed at him with the other, prompting her Houndour to cry out in pain. He was covered in different sized cuts from head to tail and obviously it was hurting as her canine struggled to stand on all fours.

"Use Ember, Houndour!" Houndour coughed up a small ball of flame.

The ball hit the Scizor in the stomach, causing its metal casing to melt. The Scizor threw itself onto the floor and rolled until the flames died out then picked itself back up. "Scizor, use Slash!" It dashed forward again, this time slashing at Houndour with both pincers. Houndour was thrown off his feet, but the canine refused to stay down.

"Houndour, use Fire Blast on those pincers!" Houndour happily obliged. Instead of aiming for the opponent's face, Houndour aimed his attack at the Scizor's powerful weapons. This time, he was unable to avoid the attack and cried out as the flames burned its pincers, melting them. Without the pincers functioning normally, the Scizor was useless and unable to attack. "Finish this battle with Ember!" Spitting out another ball of fire, Dawn watched as Scizor was engulfed in flames. The trainer called his Pokemon back before Scizor was burned to a crisp.

Houndour sat down on his haunches and howled at the ceiling as he was shrouded in white light. The canine's evolution had come a little late, but she suspected Paul's mistreatment of the canine delayed the process. She shielded her eyes from the blinding light only lowering them down to her sides when a deeper howl reached her ears.

In Houndour's place, was a much larger and less cutesy canine. A long whip-like tailed replaced the stub and his ears had morphed into horns which raked sharply towards his back. She brought up her Pokedex again.

 _Houndoom. The final evolution of Houndour. The flames it breathes when angry contain toxins. If they cause a burn, it will hurt forever._

Dawn felt sympathy for any opponent who dared stand in her Houndoom's way except for Paul who deserved to suffer for the rest of his miserable life. She hopped back onto the lift and hit the downwards arrow again, stopping at the floor labelled 'level three'. Once again she was faced with two doors and this time she chose the one on the right. Stepping through the door, she was greeted by another trainer dressed in brown leather.

"I'm Breanna, an ace trainer. You probably fought my twin brother moments ago, but you won't have such an easy fight against me! Prepare to be defeated!" There were three pokeballs hanging around the girl's waist indicating this was going to be a triple battle. "Come on out, my Bronzor's!"

Three flat-faced, circular, blue-green Pokemon appeared each one with a pair of round, yellow eyes. There was a large bulb in between its eyes and Dawn assumed it was a nose. The four dots around the Pokemon's eyes gave her the impression it was smiling. It was an unsettling sight.

 _Bronzor. There are researchers who believe this Pokemon reflected like a mirror in the distant past._

Houndoom stepped forward again, nominating himself for the battle. Dawn summoned her Haunter and Deino to flank her canine and provide support. "Houndoom, use Ember! Haunter, use Shadow Punch! Deino, use Bite!"

Her three Pokemon jumped into the fray, making the first moves against their opponents. Houndoom directed a fire ball at the middle Bronzor who was immediately charred by the fire. Haunter floated towards the Bronzor on the left and drew back a claw, conjuring a dark purple aura around it. He drove his claw forward, hitting the creepy smiling Bronzor in the face, turning the smile upside down. Deino threw himself at the final standing Bronzor, grabbing hold onto one of the six bulging spheres, sinking his teeth in until the Pokemon called out in pain. All three Bronzors dropped to the ground, incapable of fighting further. _That was much easier than it looked,_ Dawn thought, beginning to think ace trainers were just false labels.

As she moved back onto the lift, her Deino began pacing back and forth, growling at something invisible. Dawn eyed her Deino warily – was her Deino going to attack her again or was he simply being moody? She wondered just what kind of drugs Deino's original master had fed him to make her dragon act in such a bizarre manner. Deino suddenly stopped moving and craned his neck to the right then shook it, as if there was something about his neck that irritated him.

A purple aura emanated from her Pokemon. She looked on, confused. This couldn't be an evolution because there was no white light nor no signs of vibration, so what was going on here? Her Houndoom growled and Haunter floated to the other side of Dawn's head, glaring down at the Deino. Deino trembled, lowering his head, planting his limbs firmly into the ground. A head sprouted from the tuft of dark fur around his neck.

Was this a side-effect of the drugs in his system? She brought up her Pokedex. " _Zweilous. The evolution of Deino. It tends to bite everything, and it is not a picky eater. Approaching it carelessly is dangerous."_ She put it away again, tucking it behind her pokebelt to hold it in place. Zweilous' two heads looked at each other and immediately started attacking the other.

"Hey! Stop fighting!" Dawn blurted out. Her Eevee stopped nibbling on her bag, and watched the two-headed dragon with curiosity. She tried to climb out of her bag to investigate, but Dawn picked her up. Eevee kicked and squirmed, trying to free herself, but Dawn's hold was too strong. "Bad Eevee," she scolded. Why did her Pokemon have to evolve now in tight quarters? Eevee pinned her ears and immediately stopped squirming.

Zweilous's heads continued to fight however giving Dawn a headache. Why had there not been a manual written for Pokemon with more than one head? She thought about approaching the dragon, but memories of being bitten stopped her in her tracks. Being bit by two heads did not sound appealing at all. Both heads growled at each other, engaged in a vicious biting battle, each one trying to fight dominance.

"Please stop fighting! Save it for the fight ahead!" Dawn pleaded. Zweilous ignored her. She sighed. It was like watching two siblings fight each other, except these siblings shared the same body. The doors of the lift opened and she stepped off it, followed by her Houndoom and Haunter. Zweilous fought with himself for a couple moments longer until he too walked off the lift. Now her dragon's two necks were wrapped around the other and they didn't seem able to unravel themselves. The two heads whined, trying to break free of the lock, but their attempts proved futile.

Dawn drew in a deep breath. "I'm going to help you free your necks, all right?" she said, glancing down at her Zweilous. The two heads just looked at her. "Please don't bite me – I'm trying to help you and I can't do that if you bite me." She lowered herself to her knees and slowly brought her hands towards the neck on the right. The first head growled, and Dawn drew back her hands, worried the other head would bite them off. The second head stared at her, but didn't make a move. She placed her hands on the scales again finding them surprisingly warm to the touch.

The heads growled again. Sweat beads formed on her forehead. Carefully, she unravelled the first neck from the second, praying to Arceus the heads wouldn't decide to bite her once they were freed. "That's it… stay calm… almost there…" she said soothingly as she separated their heads. Immediately, they moved their heads towards her and Dawn feared they were going to knock her backwards. Instead, the two heads lowered themselves down in a way she thought was a bowing gesture. A low growl left the throats of the two heads.

Dawn was confused. Did they want to be petted on their heads or was it something else? With a trembling hand, she reached out and patted the head on the right. Zweilous's first head growled in appreciation, almost making a purring like noise. Confidence building, she patted the other head and earned the same response. Zweilous didn't appear to be agitated at least and actually seemed to enjoy having their heads rubbed.

"Ready to take on the next battle?" Zweilous' heads nodded. She turned to Houndoom and Haunter who also nodded. Climbing back to her feet, Dawn led the way to Byron's chamber, her Pokemon sticking close to her side. She walked through a tight cavern until she reached another door. There wasn't a button around she could see and she wondered how it opened. With a shrug, she brushed her fingers against the door then jumped back as it opened. _Touch-sensitive door,_ she thought. Nice touch. She stepped through the opening.

.

Cynthia sat by her grandmother's bed, her hands resting on her lap, as she waited for the professor to awaken. A couple of days had passed by since the woman had been put to sleep and Cynthia was beginning to wonder if the woman was going to wake up at all. Fortunately, her younger sister wasn't at home – Cynthia wasn't sure how the girl would cope if she found her grandmother in this state.

For the past few days she had been thinking about Cyrus's parting words – the Galactic leader had mentioned something about Carolina's experiments and Cynthia wondered what he had meant by that. It dawned on her she didn't know much about her grandmother's early years – the woman never spoke of it and Cynthia never asked.

"What are you hiding?" Cynthia murmured, glancing down at the elderly woman. The woman did not awaken. Cynthia leaned forward, taking her grandmother's hand in her own, grasping it tightly. "Please wake up." Still, there was nothing. With a sigh, Cynthia released her grip and stood up to get some fresh air. She was about to leave the room when her grandmother stirred. Immediately, she sat back down. "Grandma?"

Carolina's eyes fluttered open. "…Cynthia? Is that you?" The elderly woman lifted a weak hand and Cynthia took it, interlocking her fingers with them. "I… tried… I tried to stop him…" she said weakly. By 'him', Cynthia knew she was referring to Cyrus.

"He's gone, grandmother. He left awhile ago, but don't worry, I'll stop him."

Her grandmother's fingers tightened their grasp. "I failed… it was… my fault… I gave…" She coughed. Cynthia placed a hand under her grandmother's head and brought her head forward gently. Reaching out with her other hand, she grabbed a glass of water on the bedside table and brought the rim to her grandmother's lips and poured a bit into her mouth. Carolina lapped it up and groaned.

"Everything is going to be all right," Cynthia soothed, placing the glass back down. Carolina groaned again, trying to move her hand to her pocket, but was unable to lift it. Cynthia did what her grandmother could not do and grabbed whatever objects were inside. Her fingers brushed up against a container. "What is this?" she said, placing the item on her lap, looking at it hesitantly. Had Cyrus left it behind?

Carolina's eyes widened and she murmured something Cynthia couldn't decipher. Fuelled by curiosity, Cynthia opened the container, her eyes resting on a syringe. Carefully picking it up, she dangled it before her, a frown on her face. Had Cyrus injected her grandmother with a sleeping potion? But that couldn't be right – the syringe had been in a container with her family's initials on it. Besides, why would Cyrus be walking around carrying a syringe when he had an army of grunts to protect him?

"What is this?" she asked again, more forcefully this time, training her eyes on Carolina. Carolina looked away from the syringe confirming Cynthia's fears. Her grandmother knew very well what it was. Was this what Cyrus had been referring to? Her grandmother's experiments? "Carolina," she said in a low voice. "What did you do?"

A tear rolled down her grandmother's face. Cynthia lifted both eyebrows – Carolina never cried. "My… experiment… my potion… I planned to use it against him… to stop a disaster from happening…" she said weakly, looking at Cynthia with pleading eyes.

Carolina had planned to use the syringe against Cyrus to put him to sleep so his plans would fail and the world would be saved. _Her_ syringe. Her experiment. Her potion. But why would her grandmother want to hide it? Unless… No. "This is why everyone left you… they knew about your experiments…" Cynthia said slowly, pulling together the pieces of the puzzle. "You created the potion… and tested it on… Pokemon?" She glanced down sharply, hoping to Arceus she was wrong, and that it was simply just a cruel joke, but Carolina didn't deny it.

"Cynthia…" Carolina said, reaching a hand towards her granddaughter.

Cynthia drew her hand back. "You experimented on Pokemon!" She stood up abruptly.

"You must understand… I didn't have a choice."

"Everyone knew, didn't they? That's why they all left!" she blurted out, reeling from the revelation her grandmother had experimented on the Pokemon she claimed to love. Was that why she was so determined to send her on a journey at the age of ten so she could continue doing her experiments in peace? Rare emotion of anger poured through her. "What else did you do? What else did you experiment on?"

"…Just Pokemon…"

She snorted. "And I should believe that? You've been lying to me for _years!_ You made me believe that Pokemon meant everything in the world, but you only cared for them for research purposes! You kept this from me – why, so you could keep me all to yourself?" Her voice raised an octave higher. "Did you plan to experiment on me as well? Is that why you locked that room? So no one could ever learn the truth?" So many questions were racing through her mind.

"Cynthia… please… I did what was necessary… we were struggling financially and this was the only way I could support us…"

"At the cost of driving everyone else away! Why should I believe anything you have to say? You kept this from me – what else are you hiding?" She drew in a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm herself down. She was the Champion after all and a Champion should always be in control of their emotions. Looking down at her grandmother, she shook her head, feeling betrayed by the one person she thought she could admire. "And to think I once wanted to be like you," she added bitterly, turning her back.

"Don't you turn your back on me, Cynthia… It was because of me you are what you are today…" Her grandmother's voice trembled with each word she spoke, her desperate pleas filling the room. "Cynthia!" Cynthia walked out without saying a word, not stopping once to glance over her shoulder.

.

This room was different from the others – the other rooms were fashioned to look like a typical warehouse, but this room looked like a giant cave. The strong scent of earth filled her nostrils and she suddenly felt frightened. If the cave collapsed they'd be buried alive. The only way up was via the lift. Fortunately, at least she could see well enough as the ceiling had a row of lights installed. There was a man standing on the opposite end, a brown weathered cape on his back, the ends touching the ground. She was instantly reminded of Roark, or at least, an older mature version of him.

The man walked over, cape flapping behind him. "I spent a long time living on Iron Island, creating a safe reserve for ground, rock and steel-type Pokemon. Being surrounded by ocean makes me feel a little out of place, so I created this gym to capture the environment of my Iron Island. I know you've defeated my son, but that's not surprise – he still has much to learn. In place of my son Roark, I, Byron, will take your challenge!"

He brought out his first Pokemon, something which looked like three Magnemite's stuck together to form a triangle.

 _Magneton. Many mysteriously appear when more sunspots dot the sun. They stop television sets from displaying properly._

"This is your battle, Houndoom!" Houndoom rushed forward, uttering a low growling nose. "Use Fire Blast!" Houndoom sent forth a glowing ball of fire. Magemite wasn't able to avoid it, and was struck in one of its three faces, a black scorch covering the place hit.

"Magneton! Use Thunderbolt!" The Magneton created a bolt of lightning with its horseshoe magnets and sent it forwards, striking the Houndoom on the rib caged barring on his back. He yelped, but fortunately managed to hold his position.

Her former battle against a younger version of a Magneton had been a short battle. This one would be no different. "Now use Ember!" Houndoom whacked the ground with his tail then coughed up a ball of fire, created from the pit of his belly. The ball sailed forward and slammed into the other face of the Magneton until that one too was covered in a black scorch mark. Only one face remained.

"Use Thunderbolt again, Magneton!"

Houndoom yelped, as he was struck by the bolt of lightning again, throwing him off his feet. The previous battles had taken their toll on him and he flopped to the ground, landing on his side, tongue hanging out of his mouth. Dawn recalled him and sent forth her Torterra.

"Magneton, use Flash Cannon!" Grey beams of powerful energy left the three eyes, fusing into one giant ball. It flew towards Torterra and struck him in the face, exploding into blinding light upon impact.

Dawn winced and blinked several times in a row then looked on. Torterra had been pushed back several feet but aside from that, he looked unharmed. "Torterra, use Earthquake!" The gym advisor had mentioned Steel-types were weak to Ground-type moves, but would the levitating Pokemon be unaffected? She hoped she hadn't just wasted a move. Torterra lifted his four legs at different times, stomping the ground until the walls shook. Dawn dropped to the ground figuring it was better to sit down than stand so she wouldn't be thrown aside.

Cracks appeared in the ground, in the walls and in the ceiling even, causing several rocks to become loose. One of the rocks landed on Magneton's head, felling the Pokemon, rendering it unable to attack. Byron called his Pokemon back then brought out his second one. "You're pretty good," he remarked.

"You're not so bad yourself."

Byron summoned his second Pokemon. A large serpent made up of grey rocks appeared from the pokeball, reaching upwards towards the ceiling. Nine metres of solid steel defence.

 _Steelix. The evolved form of Onix. It is thought its body transformed as a result of iron accumulating internally from swallowing soil._

"Torterra, use Earthquake!" Again, Torterra stomped on the ground, causing the walls around them to shake violently. More rocks came crashing down. Dawn rolled out of harm's way as a couple of stalactites plummeted to the floor, missing the point of one by a mere inch. She picked herself and dusted the dirt off her clothes, realizing she must've looked like she had gotten out of a brawl with the cuts on her body.

Torterra pulled his head, legs and tail into his shell to protect himself from the falling rocks. Steelix's large size made it impossible for the creature to avoid the rocks and it crashed to the ground, as a boulder size rock fell on its head. A cloud of dirt rose up from the ground, shrouding the Steelix in sand. Dawn flicked some grains of her shoulder blades then ran a hand through her hair. It was as if she had bathed in sand.

Steelix lifted its tail and brought it around, smashing the rock sitting on its head. It picked itself up from the ground and let out a deafening roar. "Steelix, use Ice Fang!" Steelix opened its mouth revealing a row of blunt teeth. It moved forward and crashed down, clamping its jaws around Torterra's shell. A layer of ice covered her Torterra. Steelix moved away. The ice covering fell apart and Torterra collapsed.

Dawn withdrew her Pokemon and summoned Honchkrow to the field. "Honchkrow, use Swagger!" Honchkrow flew circles around the Steelix's head until the Pokemon looked dazed then spat a gob of saliva into the Pokemon's throat.

"Steelix, use Ice Fang!" Steelix gnashed its jaws at Honchkrow, but the avian evaded the attack. Steelix bit down on a rock jutting out from a wall and desperately tried to yank itself free, allowing Honchkrow a chance to attack again.

"Use Night Slash!" Honchkrow threw himself at the Steelix's back, scraping his talons against the steel defence. Honchkrow's sharp talons only left a tiny scratch mark against the steel defence. Steelix pulled itself from the wall and tried to attack Honchkrow with its tail, but the avian rolled out of the way, and Steelix struck itself in the head instead and fell. The steel-cased serpent did not climb back up again.

One more Pokemon left and Dawn was becoming worried. This was the first time she was fighting a battle without a significant type-advantage and the battle could easily go in Byron's way. She had to rely on taking advantage of the environment to win this battle otherwise all would be lost and she'd have to retake it.

"Oh, what's this? My last one! This is where we make our stand!" Byron summoned his final Pokemon. The final Pokemon shared a similar type build to her fallen Torterra, only he didn't have a tree nor a shell on his back. His head was shaped like a castle wall, complete with four cream yellow, window-like spots and three dark grey spikes on the top. Four blunt tusks protruded upwards from is lower jaw while a single spike pierced the tip of its nose, making it look like it had two spikes.

 _Bastiodon. When they lined up side by side, no foe could break through. They shielded their young in that way._

"Honchkrow, use Wing Attack!" Honchkrow flapped his wings and arrows rained down. The Bastiodon lifted its head on an angle and closed its eyes, as the feathers made contact. The feathers did little damage and simply bounced off onto the ground around the Bastiodon's feet.

"Bastiodon, use Stone Edge!" The dinosaur-type Pokemon slammed its tail and a rock spike burst up from the ground, striking Honchkrow in his belly, driving him up into the ceiling. The spike disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and Honchkrow fell to the ground, landing on his back, his talons raised in the air.

Dawn cursed inwardly and withdrew her avian. Now she had only two Pokemon remaining – Zweilous and Haunter. Eevee didn't count because she was still in the weaning phase and obviously not strong enough to last even a couple of seconds. She decided to send out Haunter next, hoping she'd be able to put the dinosaur to sleep for a couple of turns.

"Go for it, Haunter!" Haunter floated forwards. "Use Hypnosis!" Haunter hovered above the Bastiodon's head and pressed a claw against its hard head. Bastiodon slumped forward, dozing off immediately. "Now Haunter, use Shadow Punch!" Haunter slammed a fist into his opponent's face. Bastiodon shuddered, but remained asleep. Bastiodon's high defence almost made Haunter's attacks useless and Dawn decided to withdraw her Haunter. She called forth Zweilous who bounded towards the sleeping Bastiodon.

"I'm not done yet! There's no giving up!" Byron said.

"Zweilous, use Dragon Rage!" Dragon Rage's effectiveness was becoming less useful the stronger her Pokemon and challengers became, but it was the only attack she had left that could inflict some decent damage since its damage output never changed. As she had predicted, the blast of draconic energy did a fair amount of damage, pushing the Bastiodon a few inches back. "Use another Dragon Rage!" Bastiodon was struck by another blast of Dragon Rage and fell over onto its side.

Byron seemed dumbfounded. He probably hadn't expected to be defeated in his manner, but a win was a win. "Hmm! My sturdy Pokemon, defeated!" He recalled his Bastiodon and wondered over to Dawn, smiling. "I have to say, that wasn't how I imagined myself to go down, but you did well to change your strategy midway through the match." He dug a hand down into his pocket and pulled out a shiny badge. "You were strong enough to take down my prized team of Pokemon. In recognition of that power, I give you this, the Mine Badge!"

"You had me worried for a moment."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Tough trainers like you and Barry crop up constantly to challenge the old guard. With more young trainers like my son and you two taking charge, the future of Pokemon is bright! But I'm not stepping aside just yet! I merely need to rededicate myself to training on Iron Island. Speaking of Iron Island, you should drop by sometime. We're usually closed to the public at this time of the year, but I'd like to invite you and your friend over for tea sometime when I've finished making renovations! What do you say?"

She wasn't going to turn down an offer for free food so she nodded. "That sounds great."

"I'll make sure my son is present too – it's been awhile since I last saw him…" He dug down into his pocket again pulling out a contact card. "Here's my number – give me a call when you're ready and I'll let you know how things are going!"

She took the card from him and put it in her bag. "I reckon you'll go far… er, sorry, what was your name?"

"Dawn."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Dawn! See you around!"

.

Dawn headed to the Canalave library after healing up her Pokemon. Barry had insisted she had to drop by to check out a book he had found – She had other things to do than checking out books, but Barry was her best friend and she didn't want to turn down his offer. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and found the place busy with life. There were groups of people on the ground floor, sitting down on the couches, noses buried in their books whilst other people were busy on the computers typing away at the keyboards.

She didn't spot Barry's messy bushel of hair on this floor so she wandered over to the stairs and carried onto the next floor. This floor seemed more like a meeting room than a reading area – there were twelve tables each with seven chairs spread across the room, with a small podium and projector on stage. She spotted Barry sitting at a table with Lucas.

Barry waved her over. "Dawn! Come sit down!" He gestured to the empty seat beside him and she sat down in between him and Lucas.

 _So much for being shown a book,_ Dawn thought. "What's going on here?"

Lucas shrugged. "I don't know, but the professor insisted we have a meeting to discuss something really important. He said he was bringing along a couple of important people and figured we should hear it too." He readjusted his cap and leaned back in his chair. Dawn wondered why he wore a cap inside and figured he must've had a really bad haircut or something to want to keep it hidden all the time.

"How'd the gym battle go? My Infernape had a weakness, but I managed to defeat Byron!" Barry said.

"It was a tough fight, but I got there in the end."

They both turned to look at Lucas. "I had something to eat?"

Barry chuckled. "So, just what are we waiting for anyway? I was planning to leave for Snowpoint immediately after to claim my next badge."

The next destination was Snowpoint City? Dawn shuddered. She knew the route to Snowpoint was a long and cold journey that would take at least a week to reach by foot if the weather was right. Sometimes the weather was so poor the route had to be closed off until the conditions improved. _Note to self, purchase warm sweater, she_ told herself.

"The professor said he had something important to tell us. He's bringing a few special people along as well to help us understand the situation at hand a little better," Lucas supplied. "That's all I know though; I was right in the middle of eating my meal when I received a call from him, telling me to come to Canalave immediately." He shrugged. "And here I am."

They sat down in silence, lost in their thoughts. Barry was busy examining his gym badges and Lucas was rummaging through his backpack searching for something. Her mind wandered to Galactic and she wondered what they were doing now – had Crasher Wake found out why Galactic had bombed the Great Marsh? Where was Cyrus now and what was he planning?

"Professor Rowan!" Barry blurted, pulling Dawn out of her thoughts. She glanced over in the direction Barry was looking at and found the professor with Fantina and a male she recognized as the former Champion of Hoenn, Steven. She straightened in her chair, dumbfounded. Steven was the last person she expected to see.

"Ah, I see you have both arrived safely, that is good news," the professor said, pulling a chair out. He sat down. Fantina and Steven sat down in the other seats leaving one chair left. "And where is our final guest?" He looked to Fantina and Steven for an explanation.

"She won't be able to join us," Steven said. "She sends her apologies but some business came up and she had to attend to it," he added. Fantina raised a brow, but did not say anything, bringing a hand to her mouth, as if she was trying to hide a smile.

"What's going on, professor?" Barry said.

"I've brought you three along here this afternoon to talk to you about the importance of the legendary lake Pokemon. I'm sure you've heard about the Lake Guardians of Sinnoh before, right?"

Barry nodded. "Yeah, I heard about it on television once. There's supposed to be one living in Lake Verity near our hometown, but there was no Pokemon when we were there. Besides, if there was one, we would've known. Dawn and I always played by the lake." He looked at Dawn for some support and she nodded.

"He's right. We never caught a glimpse of the Lake Guardian before." Although she had spotted Cyrus standing before the edge talking to it as if he knew there was something down there.

Steven cleared his throat and leaned forward. "That's because they've been in hiding for centuries, but now Team Galactic are trying to capture them to harness their energy." Professor Rowan looked at him sharply, but Steven ignored him and continued on. "The bombing that occurred at the Great Marsh was just a distraction for the real event. I've received word from Looker that suspicious activity has been occurring around each of the three lakes."

"You think Team Galactic are going to capture the Lake Guardians?" Lucas repeated his eyes wide.

Steven nodded. "I'm positive. You three need to stop them before this gets out of hand. I would do it myself, but I believe my presence would hinder our efforts and make it much harder to infiltrate their headquarters. That's why this task falls upon you three."

"How are they going to capture the Lake Guardian?" Dawn said.

Fantina answered her question. "Bombing the lake."

Barry gasped. "No way!"

"You can see why this matter is so serious," Steven answered. "You need to stop this." Although he was addressing the group as a whole, he seemed to be directing his statement to Dawn, looking at her as he spoke.

"We'll split up, then!" Barry exclaimed. "No one is going to mess with the Lake Guardians while I'm around! I'll head to Lake Acuity! It's the furthest lake away but I'll get there much quicker than you two, no offense."

"I'll head to Lake Verity then," Lucas answered then turned to Dawn. "That leaves you with Lake Valor."

Lake Valor was close to Pastoria City and that meant coming close to the site where many innocent Pokemon had lost their lives. She forced the bloodied corpses out of her mind and nodded. "Okay."

There was silence then Professor Rowan stood up. "Then it's decided. You three must leave now and make haste. I'll return to my lab to find out why Galactic want the legendaries so badly and Fantina and Steven will inform the league and the other gym leaders. Please be care-" The entire room vibrated as a tremor shook the building. "What in the name of Arceus?" the professor said, grabbing onto the table with both hands.

"We're too late!" Fantina exclaimed.

Another tremor hit the area. Screams from downstairs echoed throughout the building. Dawn gripped onto the table for dear life. That was no natural tremor. "Quickly now! Downstairs!" Professor Rowan exclaimed, leading the way to the ground level. Dawn hurried after him, her heart racing many miles per minute, as another powerful tremor hit the building. She arrived on the ground level, but it no longer looked like a library – it looked like a warzone.

Bookshelves were knocked onto the floor, tables and chairs turned over and books scattered everywhere. Computers had fallen onto the ground and some were unfortunate enough to have their screens broken. Glass from fallen light bulbs stretched across the carpet, making it look like a bomb had gone off. People were hiding under tables, darting their eyes around, wearing horrified expressions.

"Leave now! I'll stay behind and provide protection," Steven said.

"I'm staying as well," Fantina said. "Not even a former Champion can clean up this mess on their own."

Professor Rowan looked to Dawn and her two companions. "Go, quickly! Save the Lake Guardians before it falls into the wrong hands!"

Dawn didn't need to be told twice. She raced out of the library and called out her Honchkrow. Honchkrow seemed to sense her distress and lowered himself onto the ground, allowing Dawn to climb on his back. It was the first time she had ever used her Pokemon for transport, but there was always a first for everything. "We need to head to Lake Valor!" Honchkrow nodded, and lifted himself up into the air while Dawn wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging on to dear life.


	21. Valuable Lessons

No one to thank this time, but happy reading to my silent people

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty: Valuable Lessons**

Saturn glanced at the remains of Lake Valor, tears rolling down his cheeks. The explosion had done more than force the Lake Guardian out of its hiding spot; it had killed all the Magikarp as well and the squad responsible for placing the bomb. He was all alone now – his surviving grunts had taken the unconscious legendary back to headquarters and he remained behind to stall.

He was surrounded by Magikarp – some were still alive, but without water, they would soon perish in the heat. The lake had been destroyed completely – all that remained now was a deep empty pit. The groans of the helpless Magikarp filled the air, and Saturn looked at the ground to block the images of their flailing bodies from his sight. Even if the lake had remained, these Magikarp could not be saved. They were missing fins, scales and other various parts surgery couldn't fix.

He tried to block out the sounds of the dying fish by covering his ears, but their pained cries only became louder, almost deafening him. It was almost like a sad symphony of the condemned, giving their last song before death took them from this world. The bodies of the bomb squad lay in bits and pieces across the ground, mixed in with the Magikarp. He took in a deep breath then lurched forward, his hands resting on his knees, head reeling from the stench.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be! Now he was standing in a graveyard with the rotting corpses of his men and Magikarp. He dropped to his knees and swallowed a few mouthfuls of air, trying to calm himself down, but it was all too much to bear. The bomb was far more powerful than he assumed. He curled his fingers into a fist and punched the ground, tears continuing to stream down his face. Only one question raced through his mind – a simple why?

He thought he was strong enough to endure it – the boss wanted strong people as his commanders after all, but he couldn't bear to look the destruction he played a part in causing. Sending someone to their death was oddly satisfying, but watching someone die before his eyes was a different experience all together. "What have I done?" he murmured, burying his face into his hands, his body trembling with each breath he took in.

It was Cyrus's idea to form a squad to blow up the lakes. He assembled a squad together to die and he didn't care as long as he got what he wanted. Had he planned for Saturn to perish as well? Was that why he rarely communicated with him? Had he planned for this moment to happen and that's why he didn't share the finer workings of his plans with anyone else? Saturn looked up at the sky, watching clouds amass above. A storm was coming.

He picked himself up from the ground and wiped the dirt stains off his clothing. What did Cyrus plan to do with him now? Was he supposed to have died in that bomb blast as well or was Cyrus saving him for something greater? More tears spilled down his cheeks, berating himself for his weakness. He had allowed Cyrus to control him, to do with him as the man pleased, until he ran out of uses. The worst part of it all? He knew this was wrong and that's what hurt the most.

He turned around to face the lake's entrance waiting for the police to show up. He thought about just turning himself over and ending it now, but giving up was weakness and Cyrus would disprove. The man might not be here, but he had controlled Saturn for long enough, it wasn't easy to shake it off. It wasn't the police standing there at the entrance. Instead, a young female of no older than fourteen stood at the entrance, a horrified expression on her face. She looked familiar for some reason, but he couldn't figure out what it was exactly that made him feel like he knew her.

He wiped the tears away and pointed a finger at her. "You shouldn't be here, little girl."

She looked around, taking in her surroundings, her blue eyes filled with anger and heartbreak. It was wrong for a young person to have to see this, but she had chosen to visit. "…Why… What happened…" she said slowly, her face pale.

Saturn cleared his throat. He had to be strong. "It's for the greater good of the world."

"You were behind the bombing at Pastoria City," she said softly.

The girl was smarter than she looked. "Yes, that's right," Saturn answered. "What happened was necessary, but I don't expect someone as young as yourself to understand what's going on here. Why don't you turn around and head back to the playground and play with people your own age?"

She shook her head, blue bangs falling around her face. "I'm not leaving until I know why."

Her desire to know more piped his curiosity. She reminded herself of his days when he was at college – always asking questions about things he had no business in. "Look around you, little girl. What do your eyes tell you?" Perhaps he had been wrong to assume she was smart. Anyone with half a brain could see what had happened here. "We're trying to make the world a better place and we'll do whatever it takes to make it so. Now what is your name?"

"Dawn."

"Well, Dawn, I don't know who you think you are, but I'm giving you the chance to walk away from this and be blind. If you choose to stay I will be forced to fight you and it won't end well for you – choose to be blind, Dawn."

"Then I'll fight."

The conviction in her tone surprised him. Her eyes had a dangerous gleam, reminding him of someone else he knew, and he was struck again by the familiarity of her features. How could someone so young have such fierceness in their eyes? Curiosity got the better of him and he stepped forward, a hand on a pokeball. "You have caught my interest. You must have some reasonable skill to make it this far, but don't go running home crying to your father after I beat you."

Dawn's expression darkened. "That's rich seeing as my father is your boss." She threw out one of her pokeballs and a Houndoom emerged, his fierce eyes locking on Saturn, as if he were something delicious to eat. Saturn's brows lifted. Her father was… Cyrus? But that couldn't be right – Cyrus never mentioned anything about having a daughter, and besides, wasn't he against all that anyway?

"You're lying." Saturn summoned his mascot Pokemon, Toxicroak, to the battlefield. The two Pokemon circled each other, Houndoom's whip-like tail, smacking the ground, slicing a few blades of grass. A bead of sweat began to form on his forehead and he took a step backwards, almost falling over a dead Magikarp in the process. "You're trying to play mind games with me," he added, forcing a dry laugh.

"Houndoom, use Fire Fang!" Houndoom stretched open his sharp fangs, his menacing eyes locking on Saturn's Toxicroak. The canine's teeth turned a shade of lava as the dog rushed forward, leaping a couple of feet, his paws knocking Toxicroak over onto the ground. Her Houndoom's power took him by surprise – how could someone have so much power at such a young age?

"Use Poison Jab, Toxicroak!" His Pokemon leapt forward, a purple aura encasing his arms, and punched, his fists slamming into the side of the canine's body. Houndoom staggered backwards then lowered his head, his tail held up above his body like a lance. The canine moved forward then lunged, tackling the Toxicroak to the ground, his jaws holding the toad in place. Toxicroak tried to free himself, but the Houndoom's grip was unrelenting.

"The battle is over. Tell me where my father is."

.

Volkner walked over to the edge of the pier and looked at the ocean. In the distance, he could see a faint image of a white cathedral on an island. The cathedral was home to the Champion and the Elite Four. Somewhere inside that building was his Pokemon stored away in a safe place under Flint's protection. He looked away.

Word about the gym closing down had spread like wildfire throughout Sunyshore City. His gym students had come to him complaining about losing their jobs, but Volkner just turned away from them, unable to provide any answers. Ignoring their protests was the only thing he could do. He felt more alone now than he did when his father passed away. At least he had his Pokemon. Now he had nothing.

Even Destiny, the girl who wanted to sleep with him, refused to talk. She claimed she didn't want to associate with someone who had lost heart. All hope was lost. Nothing mattered more. Without his Pokemon, he was a nobody, someone unimportant. He was the talk of the city. People spoke of him highly once before – now they just laughed.

"Hey look, it's Volkner!" a male trainer called out from behind him. Volkner briefly glanced over, spotting a male surrounded by a pack of females. He turned away facing the ocean again. "You wanna battle? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't have any Pokemon!" the trainer jeered, earning chuckles from his friends.

It had been like this for awhile now. Trainers, inexperienced and experienced, would visit him just to taunt him, knowing there was nothing he could do. Sometimes, some trainers even threw items at him, just as payback for the times he had turned the power off in the city for kicks. He had often heard that karma was a bitch and only now did he realize just how true those words were.

"Volkner," a soft female voice said.

He glanced to his left and noticed Jasmine standing by, looking at him with an expression he could only read as pity. "Jasmine," he replied. "Have you come here to make fun of me too?" he added, trying to joke, but failing considerably.

"That's not my style."

He snorted. Jasmine was basically a saint. She did no wrong. Her purpose in life was to help those around her, not to make them feel useless and inferior. She never had a bad word to say about anyone or anything. How she remained so upbeat and positive was astounding, but it's what made her company pleasant.

"You know, if people see you talking to me they might make fun of you too."

"They can talk, but they do not see what I see."

He rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't even be here, Jasmine. Don't you have a gym to run?"

"I came to see you."

"Did Flint ask you to preach? Maybe you should find a new hobby and stop trying to interfere in other people's problems," he replied, more harshly than he intended. He saw a brief flicker of hurt in her light brown eyes and felt guilt rise up within. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." _Good work, Volkner,_ he told himself. _You hurt Jasmine, the only trainer who can be bothered to talk to you,_ he added.

"You will get your Pokemon back in due time."

"And how do I do that? Get on my knees before Flint and beg for forgiveness?" he replied curtly. "It was because of Flint that I'm even in this position."

She looked at him sternly. "You are in this position because you made decisions that led you down this path. You can't lay the blame elsewhere."

She was right, but he didn't want to admit it out loud. He remained silent, preferring to listen to the waves crashing against the shoreline than the sound of his own voice. Jasmine didn't say anything either much to his relief. She was like that. She knew when to listen and when to speak. Arguing voices reached his ears and he lifted his head up, turning around to look over his shoulder to see what the commotion was. Jasmine heard it too.

At the far end of the pier, he caught a glimpse of Maylene's unmistakable pink hair. She was arguing with Destiny and judging by the way Maylene was shaking her fists, she was infuriated. Destiny ran away and Maylene lowered her fists then stormed in his direction. Volkner tensed – his last two conversations with Maylene hadn't ended well. How was this one going to end? Jasmine must've noticed his discomfort because she edged closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving him an assuring smile.

Maylene arrived. Her eyes moved from Volkner, to Jasmine then to the hand resting on his shoulder. Her lips pressed into a thin smile and he swore he caught a hint of jealousy in her eyes. He quickly brushed off Jasmine's hand and moved towards Maylene. "Maylene," he said, acknowledging her with a nod.

"I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" she replied, directing her question more at Jasmine than Volkner.

"Jasmine was visiting," Volkner said.

Maylene turned to face him. "It looked a little more than 'just visiting' to me."

The hostility Maylene was showing to Jasmine was so unlike her. The fighter probably thought he was flirting with Jasmine. A while back, he had a thing for the Steel-type gym leader, but living in separate regions made it quite difficult to maintain a relationship. Besides, she didn't seem interested in him that way anyway having turned down his multiple attempts to ask her out. Sometimes it was hard to tell with females whether they were just being friendly and polite or they actually had a romantic interest in you.

"I'll be going," Jasmine said. "If you need someone to talk to Volkner, you know what number to call." She turned away and left.

"You talk to Jasmine, but you won't talk to me," Maylene started, after Jasmine disappeared from sight. "What makes her so different?"

"She listens," Volkner replied. "She doesn't play mind games with me, like you do."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot." She gave a sardonic laugh. "You like the girls that pay you compliments or do services for you, like that tramp of yours, Destiny." Volkner opened his mouth to protest, but Maylene shook her head. "She told me, Volkner. I called her your favourite pet. She ran away."

He glowered. "You don't have the authority to tell my students off."

"They're not under your supervision anymore, Volkner."

He drew in a deep breath, raking a hand through his blond hair. "Did you come all this way for an apology? I'm sorry, Maylene. There. I said it. Now can we please stop fighting?"

She moved in closer. "I came all this way to tell you what's really on my mind. Candice helped me realize it." She squeezed her eyes shut, took in a deep mouthful of air and exhaled, opening her eyes again. "You were right. What you said before… Arceus, help me… But I do care about you, Volkner."

"If you cared so much, why did you boot me out?"

"You hurt me, not once, but twice." A dry laugh left her throat. "You made a fool of me, and you didn't seem to care. I wanted to help you, but you threw it back in my face. I allowed you to stay at my gym for a few days until you recovered, but you just made a bigger mess of things. But… I found it in myself to forgive you for that."

"Maylene…"

"And then I come all the way here preparing myself to tell you how I really feel and then I hear all these stories about you. I heard about the pranks you pulled on your students, I heard about the incident at the lighthouse with Destiny and Flint and then I find you here with Jasmine." She rubbed her eyes. "I thought I could help you, but I was foolish to think that. You've shown me that now."

He felt like the world's greatest villain right now. "It was never my intention to hurt you."

"You keep saying that, but you keep doing it and you don't even realize it!"

A few locals had stopped by to watch. Some were even cheeky enough to take photos. Anything with Volkner in it was bound to be headline news in the local paper. Hell, if he was lucky enough, he might even be featured on regional television. He was already the number one topic for discussion. He held his arms out to the side. "Then what is it? What do you want me to realize? That I'm a screw-up?" More people had joined the crowd. Volkner ignored them.

"Damn right you are and everyone can see it!" she seethed.

He was well aware that more than half of the population of Sunyshore City had gathered around to see Maylene kick his ass in public. He even caught a few comments from his gym students cheering Maylene on. They wanted to see him fail. Perhaps it was a form of revenge for them after the mistreatment he brought on everyone else in this city. They wanted to witness his dramatic fall from grace.

Panic welled up inside him. Fighting a battle indoors was fine, but on stage like this before a critical public? It was different. "I lost my father, I lost my friends, I lost my gym and I lost my Pokemon. What else must I lose before life loses its meaning permanently?" He forced a laugh, trying to keep himself together. His sense of rationality was fading. It wouldn't matter what he said – it wouldn't change a thing. Judgements had been cast and they would not be reversed.

"Volkner…" she said, moving closer towards him, never once making eye contact with the crowd. Her entire focus was on him. "Stop it." She looked at him with concern, her hands grasping his arm.

"You were right - You can't save me, no one can so do me a favour and let me go. There is no such thing as hope."

She tightened her grasp. "You're not thinking straight."

He tried to shove her away, but she held her ground. She might be a female, but she was strong, stronger than a lot of males, thanks to her long years training to be a top fighter. She drew back a hand then brought it forward, slapping him in the face. The simple action brought him back to the night at the casino where she had slapped him after he had kissed her against her will. He grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her closer to him, close enough he could breathe in the scent of her hair. Citrus scented shampoo.

Maylene must've thought he was trying to kiss her again because he caught a flicker of fear in her eyes. She reacted immediately and brought her knee back then slammed it forward, striking him directly between the legs. A surprised grunt left his throat before a pain exploded down below, causing him to drop to the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back tears as fiery pain consumed him.

"Volkner!" She knelt down beside him.

Nausea gripped his mind. He sat up and lurched forward, expelling yesterday's dinner onto the ground, thankfully not getting anything on Maylene. He heard Maylene yelling at the crowd, telling them to disperse, while he braced himself for another round of vomiting. The fight to hold back tears failed, and they rolled down his cheeks, dropping down onto the pool of vomit before him. The stench filled his nostrils, making his stomach twist again, almost enough to make him vomit a third a time.

He remained in this position for a couple more moments until the worst of the pain faded away. Fortunately, the majority of the crowd had left now – only a handful of his trainers remained. This was surely going to headline the local newspaper tomorrow. What was the point in even returning to the gym when his name was tarnished beyond repair?

"Come on Volkner, let's get you to the Pokemon Centre," Maylene said, helping him stand up from the ground. His legs wobbled, but he managed to keep himself upright, using Maylene as support as he limped towards the building.

.

The Galactic commander had been broken – Dawn could see the defeat in his eyes, but he still tried to fight. Instead of beating his Pokemon to a fainting state, Dawn ordered her Houndoom to knock the trainer over onto his backside. Houndoom happily obliged and jumped, throwing his body against Saturn, knocking him to the ground.

Houndoom rushed forward and leapt, throwing his body against the commander, knocking him to the ground. The canine brought his face up against the trainer's own, baring his teeth, uttering a deep growl. He tried to push the much larger Houndoom off, but he stopped dead in his tracks, scared stiff by the intimidating canine. Houndoom snarled again, a drop of saliva falling on his face.

The man pulled a face and turned his head to the side. "I don't know! All I know is that he wants to capture the Lake Guardians for some purpose!" he cried out.

Dawn decided the man was telling the truth and ordered her Houndoom to climb off Saturn, allowing the man to sit upright. "It's all right, Houndoom. He won't threaten us." And if he tried to do something, she had some other powerful Pokemon to call on to put the commander in his place. Houndoom stayed near the man's side watching him closely as Dawn moved in closer. The dead Magikarp surrounding her reminded her of the disaster at Pastoria only it was so much worse. More blood. More dead.

"I swore an oath to serve him faithfully," the man said, wiping away the tears with the back of his hands. "I believed his lies! I didn't want any of this to happen! Please, you must believe me!" Either this man was an excellent actor or he truly felt remorse for his actions.

Dawn considered her options – she could beat him down and call on the gym leaders to take the man away or use him to gain access to reach her father. Breaking into Galactic's main headquarters wouldn't be so easy and she figured using someone in a high position would make it much easier. "Will you help me find Cyrus?"

The man seemed shocked – he was probably expecting her to hand him over to the authorities. "I… I can't. I can't betray him."

Dawn lifted a brow. The man's loyalty was surprising for someone who had been told by his superior to blow up a lake. He was trembling – a bizarre sight on a member of Galactic. She had grown accustomed to overconfident trainers who talked big, but this one was different. He wanted to stand by his oath despite having done wrong. Her gaze softened. "Please, tell me what you know."

The man drew in a deep breath and nodded. "I can't reverse the damage, but perhaps by helping you, I can stop more from happening… I have nothing else to lose anyway…" he murmured. Dawn gained the impression he was trying to convince himself rather than convince her. "Take this key," he said, reaching into his pocket, throwing Dawn a small silver key. "It's a master key and it will open any door in the Galactic Headquarters in Veilstone City."

She put it away. "Thank you."

He jerked his head up, surprised. "The boss made us believe the only way to improve our world is to remove the human spirit… I do not know what else your father has planned, but capturing the Lake Guardians is only the first step." He sniffed, biting down on his lip. "That's all I can say – the other commanders probably know more than I do so you should seek them out for more information." He climbed to his feet. "You said your name was Dawn? I'm Saturn."

"What are you going to do now, Saturn?"

He tried to smile, but there was no joy in his eyes. "There is no hope for me. I will be blamed for these deaths." All was silent except for the gasps and groans of the Magikarp around them. The haunting image of the dead would forever remain implanted in her mind. "I will accept my role in the destruction that has taken place here today – it will not bring the dead back to life, but at least I can die knowing that I left this world trying to make amends." He smiled, and this time it was for real. "Farewell, Dawn." He sat down on the ground again, his legs crossed, head bowed with eyes squeezed shut.

Dawn left.

.

Professor Rowan headed to Twinleaf Town to check up on Johanna. Carolina hadn't returned from celebrating her youngest granddaughter's birthday party, and Rowan wondered if the woman had gotten caught up in the debacle with the Galactic members. She was probably lying low for awhile until it was safe to leave again.

That left him with the task of keeping an eye on Johanna, whose behaviour had become so erratic, he had no idea what to do. Sometimes she happy and other times stark raving mad. It took something as little as running out of a drink to bring tears to her eyes and took almost half a day just to calm her down. Something was off, that much was obvious, and he wanted answers.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, poking his head around the corner, just encase Johanna was there to attack him with the fly swat again. No one. He breathed a sigh of relief and ventured in further, closing the door behind him. Johanna wasn't in the lounge nor was she in the kitchen. He frowned. That was odd. She could always be found in the kitchen or lounge when he returned to supervise.

"Johanna?" he called out.

No answer.

He made his way towards her bedroom, climbing up the staircase to the upper level, one cautious step at a time. Tumbling down the stairs at his age would not end well for him. As he closed the distance to her room, he heard faint sobs coming from her room. He thought about knocking on the door, but then figured she was probably just watching a sad show on television and crying about that. Besides, he didn't want to interrupt her again.

Turning around from her door, he sauntered over towards the bathroom, to throw away some old cash receipts into the bin. He was about to empty his pockets when his eye caught a box labelled, 'pregnancy test'. He raised his eyebrows – was this the reason behind Johanna's increasingly erratic behaviour? Turning away from the bin, he headed back to Johanna's room and knocked on the door.

"Johanna, I know you're in there. I want to talk to you about something."

"I don't want to talk!"

He sighed and tried again. "It's about Dawn."

That caught her attention. Her sobs ceased. "What is it?"

"I won't tell you unless you come out of that room."

There was no movement from inside. He pressed his forehead against the door and sighed again. The test itself wasn't in the bin and he assumed Johanna probably still had it with her. He was about to turn away from the door when it opened. Johanna peered through a tiny opening. "What is it?" she asked again.

He decided to cut to the chase. "Johanna, are you pregnant?"

Her jaw dropped. "No! How could you even suggest that?"

She tried to close the door, but he pressed his body against it, keeping it open. "I saw the box in the bathroom bin. You can't hide this from me, Johanna. Please, I want to know so I can help you. You are my niece and I promised I'd always look out for you in the way your parents could not."

She looked like she was going to scream obscenities at him, but instead she opened the door allowing him to come inside. This was usually a sign she had bad news or had done something naughty. Johanna was always awful at hiding things. She sat down on the bed, hands resting on her lap, her eyes refusing to meet with his. "Carolina bought me one."

"And?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned around, locking eyes with his. Her bottom lip trembled. He didn't even need to hear her admit it had turned out positive – he scolded himself for not suspecting it earlier when it was obvious there was something different about her. Now that he was up close, he realized she had put on a bit of weight. "I didn't think it was going to actually happen! I mean, what are the chances?" She started crying again.

Professor Rowan pulled her into a hug, letting her cry into his shoulder. "Everything is going to be all right, Johanna." That was a lie of course – he couldn't see into the future, but he wanted to give his niece some silver lining of hope to hold onto. "Who is he?" He had a suspicion Cyrus was somehow involved in all of this – Johanna wasn't the unfaithful type, but he wanted a confirmation anyway.

She clutched his shirt tighter. "You know who," she said in between sobs.

Somehow, her confession made everything seem so much more complex than before. "Johanna…" he started. Did she know what his current activity entailed? He thought about telling her but the girl was so miserable already he didn't want to add more stress to her life. On the other hand, she had to know what he was doing to prepare herself for whatever fate had in mind for him.

"Don't lecture me. I know what I did, but I will _not_ give this child up."

He stopped himself from speaking further. Johanna had convinced herself he could still be helped, and Rowan hoped for the unborn's child sake she was correct. He didn't share her confidence – in his perspective, Cyrus was a lost cause. It would be better if Johanna could just forget about him and move on with her life, but she wouldn't do that, especially not when she was carrying his second child.

May Arceus have mercy.

.

By the time Dawn had reached Lake Verity, she knew he was too late. The Galactic grunts had carted the Lake Guardian away and only a red-headed female remained in place, a triumphant smirk on her face. Dawn recognized her immediately – Commander Mars, the same trainer she had battled at the Valley Windworks a long while ago.

Lucas was on the ground, clutching a bloodied arm to his chest, pain lacing his features. Dawn called his name and hurried over to help him, dropping to her knees at his side. "Oh my Arceus, what happened to you?!" She glanced down at his arm. A deep gash made by the sharp claws of a Purugly had cut into his flesh.

"He tried to fight me and he lost," Mars said. She raised a hand and pointed it at Dawn's face. "You and I have a score to settle and this time, there will be no interference. I'm going to rip your heart out and have it served on a dinner plate for interfering with Galactic's plans!" she spat, her face turning red with anger, so red her hair almost matched.

Lucas winced. "Fight her, Dawn… Don't worry about me…" He gritted his teeth together, biting down on his lip, to stop himself from crying out in pain.

Dawn wasn't too sure – his wound was bleeding profusely, dribbling down his arm, turning the ground a dark shade of red. Being attacked by a Pokemon was something Dawn knew quite well, but Mars' Pokemon wasn't under the influence of drugs. Her Pokemon had willingly attacked a trainer with the intention to inflict serious damage. She stood up and turned to face Mars.

"You've ruined everything, you little bitch! When I saw you in that hospital I thought for sure you were going to die, but it seemed like fate had different plans for you." Her mouth twisted in an almost psychotic smirk. "You might be the boss' daughter, but don't think I'll take it easy on you. I don't care about him and I certainly don't care for his bastard child! I wish he was here right now so he could watch me _tear_ you apart!"

The vehemence in her voice took Dawn by surprise. Mars was trembling with anger, her fingers curled into fists. The woman would surely rip her head off with her own bare hands if given the chance. Dawn summoned her Zweilous. The two heads hissed at her. "This doesn't have to come down to a fight." In the corner of her eye, she spotted Lucas removing his jacket. He wrapped a sleeve around his bleeding arm.

"Shut up! Don't try to run away from this! The boss betrayed me and I'm going to make him pay by taking you out!" she screamed. "Purugly, use Slash!" For a feline with such a bulky body, she could move with surprising speed. The cat threw herself at Zweilous' form, bringing forth a powerful claw, striking his left neck.

A spine-tingling roar erupted from the two heads, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand erect. Mars herself, looked taken aback, but she quickly regathered her composure. "Zweilous, use Dragon Pulse!" Dawn ordered.

The two heads opened their mouths, conjuring a dark purple beam of draconic energy. The twin beams exited the heads and fused together, hurtling towards the Purugly's face. The impact was immediate. The sturdy Purugly was lifted off her feet and thrown several metres away, her back smacking against the hard wood of a remaining tree. Purugly did not stand again. Dawn suspected the cat had been overworked and was now exhausted.

Mars glowered. "…How?! How can a little brat like you defeat me, a Galactic commander?!" She kicked the ground then screamed some more until her voice turned hoarse. "I will never stop hunting you down until I've defeated you! Do you hear me? Do you hear me?!" She recalled her Pokemon then darted through the remaining woods.

Dawn watched the trainer flee only turning her eyes away when she heard Lucas groan. "Lucas!" She hurried over to him again. He was pale; a sickly pale. He needed help otherwise she feared he might not survive the night. Fortunately, there was a Pokemon Centre in the near distance. She summoned her Houndoom. "Houndoom, please take Lucas to the Pokemon Centre in Sandgem just up this road. I need to find Barry."

"…Dawn… be careful…" Lucas gasped, wincing. Houndoom crouched down onto his belly and Dawn assisted Lucas onto the canine's back. Once Lucas was on, Houndoom stood up slowly, making sure Lucas didn't slide off. Lucas wrapped his good arm around the dog's back. "…Barry… might be in trouble… You need to find him and quickly." He lowered his rest, resting it against the back of Houndoom's neck then mustered up a weak smile.

Houndoom trotted towards the lake's exit. Dawn thought about visiting her mother since her home was just around the corner, but a voice in the back of her mind told her she had to leave immediately. Barry was probably battling Jupiter's Skuntank right now in the blistering cold elements of the northern most region and every second wasted placed him in a greater danger. "Hold on, Barry. I'm coming," she said, summoning her Honchkrow.

Flying to Snowpoint at this time of the year was usually a good time, but the blizzard-like conditions had yet to die down which meant she had to make the trip by foot. The city was reachable by heading north from Mount Coronet's ground floor and would take at least a week to get there should the roads not be blocked by layers of snow. "We need to head Mount Coronet." Honchkrow nodded and Dawn climbed on. The bird lifted himself up into the air and started flying towards Mount Coronet. Dawn could only hope Barry managed to keep himself safe.

.

Everything was falling into motion now and Charon could only sit back in his chair and watch it all unfurl. The commanders had managed to retrieve the Lake Guardians and the legendaries were on the way to the headquarters. Revenge was close, yet still so far away. There were still a few things that needed to be done however and one of those tasks included tying up Cyrus's loose ends.

During the boss's absence, Charon had snuck into his main office to search through the drawers. He had found a book with his name on it and decided to burn it to destroy all evidence linking him to the opening of the Distortion World. For his plan to succeed, all blame had to fall on Cyrus. The authorities would eventually catch up to him, but it would take much longer if they had no leads. He needed as much time as possible to ensure his ultimate goal would be achieved.

"What do you want us to do, Charon?" a grunt asked, scratching his head, giving Charon a confused look.

"I need you and your group to head to Stark Mountain," Charon explained calmly.

The two grunts exchanged looks. "But Charon, the boss wants us to patrol the upper levels of Mount Coronet! He said, 'come with me to Mt. Coronet and guard the upper levels and you will stand at my side as caretakers of the new world'."

Just when he thought the grunts couldn't get more idiotic, they say and do something that quashes the thought. "There has been a late change in plans. You will be needed at Stark Mountain. I have arranged a ship to take you there tomorrow at dawn."

"But the boss hasn't told us anything?" the first grunt said.

The second grunt was also confused. "We always take our orders from the boss."

Charon suppressed a growl. Despite their astonishing levels of stupidity, they were incredibly loyal to Cyrus for whatever reason. He had to admit though, Cyrus could turn on the charm when needed to, changing the minds of even the most bull-headed. "You will take commands from me – the boss has entrusted me with handling the second phase of our assignment."

"The boss would've mentioned you."

"There has been a change in plans and the boss has been far too busy to pass on the orders to you. Why do you think I have remained behind?"

The grunts looked at each other and shrugged. "But won't the boss need protection when he makes his way up the mountain? I hear there are some hostile Pokemon living up near the peak." The other grunt shuddered.

Charon shook his head. "And that is why he has no need of you. You will draw too much attention and all the hostile Pokemon will awaken and then you will be in trouble. If the boss goes alone, he will have a much greater chance of sneaking past them without the lot of you making noise. Your services will be required elsewhere."

The grunts frowned, puzzled. _Curse their undying loyalty,_ Charon thought. It was proving to be more difficult to change their minds than he had originally assumed. "Well, if that's what the boss wants…" said the first grunt. "Okay Charon. We will do as you say since you speak on behalf of the boss."

Charon almost sighed. "Excellent. I will ensure you are all suitably rewarded as the boss sees fit." That was a lie of course – he wouldn't pay the grunts a single cent of real coin. The counterfeit money he had tried to fool Hunter J with would be used instead. "You must leave as soon as the boss returns. I will tell him you are moving earlier than planned to prepare for the new world. You should arrive in Sunyshore this evening. I will meet you there in two days time."

They nodded then turned to leave the room. The laboratory was empty once more and Charon turned to the table where a couple of syringes rested. He walked over and picked them up, putting them into his pocket. Cyrus had returned from Celestic Town earlier in the day, but he had left again, this time heading to Mount Coronet to set up positions for the grunts. The poor fool thought he would have some back up heading up the mountain and what a shock he would get to find there were no grunts patrolling the upper levels.

Charon himself would be accompanying the boss and Mars and Jupiter would meet them at Spear Pillar, the peak of the mountain. It was smarter to open the rift to the Distortion World up high, far away from the public eye, as Charon had informed Cyrus earlier this week. Cyrus agreed. While Cyrus busied himself with the Distortion World business, Charon would begin to create the Magma Stone needed to control Heatran. If all went according to plan, Cyrus would free Giratina and be killed in the process, allowing Charon to slay the beast that caused the death of his Rotom with the help of Heatran's power. The world would be his to rule and all life would be his to control.

Dawn was still a problem. Hunter J hadn't dealt with her yet, but perhaps the woman didn't know where to find her. Charon pulled out his Xtransceiver and sent her a message, telling her Dawn will be on her way to Mount Coronet. The delay was frustrating – if Dawn was not permanently dealt with, there was a slim chance his entire plan would fail. He was pulled out of his thoughts when the door opened revealing the boss himself. Charon straightened and greeted the boss with a bow.

"You've returned from your trip. How was it at Mount Coronet?"

The boss walked by, followed by small groups of grunts carrying Pokemon in their arms. "The place is suitable." He turned to the machine then back to Charon. "I need you to start the extraction process immediately – it will not be long before the league raids this building and I'm sure they'll bring a large force with them. We will not have the numbers to deal with them all," Cyrus ordered.

Charon nodded. "Certainly. Just place them in the machine here and attach the wires and the extraction process will commence. I have already sent some of the grunts to head to Mt. Coronet to prepare themselves for the upcoming events. I hope that's not a problem with you?"

Cyrus shook his head. "Not at all. Although I do not trust you, you have yet to fail me." He turned to the grunts then jerked his head towards the machine. "Load the Pokemon into the machine."

How foolish they all were, Charon thought, as the grunts loaded the Lake Guardians into the extraction machine. Cyrus started connecting some of the wires to the Pokemon while Charon just watched as the grunts left the room. Once all the wires were connected, Charon turned to Cyrus, his hand hovering over the big red button. "Is there anything you would like to do before the glass comes down? I will not be able to bring it back up until the extraction is finished."

"Legend says touching Mesprit will remove all feeling…"

"Are you having second thoughts? Isn't this what you wanted – to remove the capacity to feel permanently? What is holding you back?"

Cyrus continued to look on. "I've waited for almost three decades for this moment…" He moved closer to Mesprit, his eyes locked on the Pokemon. He moved his hand towards the creature's head, but he did not touch it. He turned to Charon. "I would like you to touch the Mesprit first just encase the legends turn out to be nothing more than false tales."

So Cyrus wasn't as foolish as he thought. "You are to be the new ruler of this universe, am I not correct?" Charon countered. "Therefore, it is only right that you should be the one to touch the Mesprit first. I am but a lowly commander and not worthy of touching such a great and powerful being." It made him feel sick to the stomach to flatter Cyrus with false words, but if it made the buffoon touch it first then it was worth it. He wanted to see the man's reaction when he discovered Mesprit made things worse for him, rather than better.

"Hmm, I suppose you are correct." Cyrus reached out and touched the Mesprit on the head. He held it there for a couple of moments then pulled his hand back, his brows furrowed. Charon studied him closely, but aside from a frown, he couldn't tell anything had changed. "Proceed," Cyrus commanded. His tone was still the same – perhaps the effects weren't immediate.

Charon pushed the red button and a glass screen came down, trapping the three Pokemon inside. He pushed another button, a blue one, and the machine turned on. Six hooks emerged from the ceiling, reaching down until their hooks were firmly beneath the gems. They tore into the trio's flesh, prompting the three Pokemon to awaken, their eyes frozen with terror.

"The Lake Guardians will try to resist, but they do not have the power to break the glass," Charon pointed out, as the Pokemon began to thrash wildly, trying to claw their way out.

"Will they survive this?"

Charon nodded. "They will not die if that's what you're wondering, but they will be scarred for life. Their gems are irreplaceable and they will not grow back – humans can't regrow limbs and the same applies to the Lake Guardians." The hooks dug deeper into the flesh, prompting the Pokemon to scream. Their voices were muted though since the machine was soundproof. The gems loosened. With one hard yank, the hooks ripped the gems from the flesh causing blood to splatter against the glass caging.

"Quick – we must inject the Lake Guardians again before they fully come to their senses," Charon ordered, as the bloodied screen came down. He grabbed two syringes and gave the other one to Cyrus, before injecting Mesprit and Azelf. Cyrus's gaze lingered for a couple of seconds before he pulled himself out of his trance to stab Uxie in its back. The Lake Guardians' eyes immediately shut.

Charon picked up the bloodied gems and carried them over to a much smaller machine sitting on the desk. It appeared to look like an ordinary blending machine, but instead of blending fruits and vegetables, it crushed crystals. He threw the items in the blender then put the lid on before hitting the 'on' button. The blades reached peak speed in a matter of moments, crushing the gems into tiny shards, the sound reverberating throughout the room. The sound was similar to that of skulls being crushed.

"How long will this take?"

"About thirty seconds," Charon said, just as the blender stopped. "Ah, it's finished. Now, we must freeze it – do you have a Pokemon that knows an Ice-type move?"

"I have a Weavile and a Gyarados."

"Weavile will do," Charon replied, removing the blender from the machine, pouring it into a nearby bowl. It wasn't entirely liquid – there were still solid chunks of gem inside, but it was enough to make the Red Chain.

Cyrus summoned his Weavile. "Weavile, use Ice Punch."

Weavile stepped forward and drew back a paw, bringing his claws together until an ice casing covered his arm. He drove his claws forward, the tips stabbing the crushed gems, turning it into one solid object. Charon picked it up and held it up high. "And here we have it. The Red Chain." He handed over the item to Cyrus. "You only have a short amount of time to summon Palkia and Dialga – the Red Chain will shatter into pieces and then the new universe will become nothing but a dream."

"And what of Giratina?"

Charon was not surprised. He had read his journals after all which the boss had somehow obtained. "You can capture Giratina and he will give you the power to create a new universe to your liking." Another lie, but Cyrus was clueless. "The master ball will contain his power."

Cyrus looked like he wanted say something more, but decided against it for whatever reason. He turned his back and headed towards the exit then stopped. "I expect you to be there when the time comes. Mars and Jupiter will pick you up and escort you to the peak. I want you to bear witness to the birth of a new world."

He nodded. "I look forward to it."

"Good," Cyrus replied, glancing over his shoulder. "Get some rest. You'll need to be in peak health for the climb." He left the room. A smirk spread across Charon's face. Cyrus thought this was the end, but it was only the beginning of something far greater than his simple mind could ever comprehend.

.

The powerful chilly wind of the Snowpoint's highest point was nothing in comparison to the coldness running through his body. He had mustered up all the strength he had, yet he did not have the power to defeat the woman who called herself Jupiter. She clicked her tongue and shook her head with mock pity, hands resting on her hips. "You silly boy, did you really think you could defeat me?" she taunted.

Barry tried to come up with some smart retort, but nothing came to mind. He couldn't win the battle with his team of Pokemon – how could he expect to win in a war of words? For so long now he believed he had what it took to become the region's next Champion, but this woman proved him wrong. She had torn apart his team, exploited his weaknesses and crushed his hopes. The Lake Guardian had been long gone by the time of his arrival, but he had hoped to avenge the legendary by defeating Jupiter.

"Your Pokemon are weak – just like you. You have no strategy at all; I'm surprised you managed to make it this far," she jeered, towering over him, as he crouched on the ground, trying his hardest to keep it together. "You should quit while you are behind. As they say, once a weakling, always a weakling. You don't have what it takes to be the Champion – you don't even think ahead. You just throw yourself into situations."

Barry squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to shut her comments out, but her words sliced through him like a knife, stabbing him right in the heart where it hurt the most. "I'm not weak… I'm not…"

"Oh for goodness sake…" Jupiter exhaled loudly. "I defeated you with little effort. Why can't you just accept that you are pathetic? You're Pokemon aren't bad, but you're laughably weak. I was hoping for more of a challenge, but I guess you can't have everything you want, right?"

How could he face his friends after this? He had failed his Pokemon. His friends and family. The legendary Lake Guardians and himself. "I…" His eyes brimmed with tears and he squeezed them together even tighter, hoping it would stop more from spilling.

"You're friends with that blue-haired girl, right? Dawn, I believe her name is? I was hoping she'd come in your place." She snickered. "At least _she_ can put up a good fight which is something you can't seem to manage at all. I guess you came all this way to prove to her that you are her equal? I suppose that's somewhat adorable."

No matter how hard he tried, he never seemed to be good enough. The gym leaders had commented on the enthusiasm he showed during a battle, but never did anyone mention he had what it took to become the Champion. Was his dream nothing more than false hope? Was that why Dawn always seemed to be one step ahead in terms of skill even though he claimed his gym badges before her?

"Awww is that a teardrop I see or do my eyes deceive me?" She sniggered. "Run back to your mama, little boy. You aren't ready for this. There's no room for the weak in this world." She pushed him aside, her heels kicking up snow in his face, her cold laughter filling the air. Her faithful and deadly Skuntank trotted after her.

Barry remained kneeling in the snow, his teardrops rolling down his face, landing on the ground before him. The one positive of being alone was at least no one could see and hear him cry. Her words stung like a Beedrill's stinger. He was never going to be strong. He was just never going to be good enough for anyone. Even Dawn, his best friend and greatest rival, was able to see that.

He had come all this way thinking he could handle the task, to prove… what? That he was a strong enough trainer to handle any obstacle in his path like a Champion would? Or had he come this way to prove to Dawn he was her equal, like Jupiter had suggested? It puzzled him. He had never viewed his friendship from that perspective before.

"Barry? Are you all right?"

He jerked his head up upon hearing his name, recognizing the voice straight away – how could he not recognize it? He wiped the last few tears away and glanced over his shoulder, spotting Dawn standing at the entrance of the lake. A hand tugged the scarf around her neck. The girl had put on a woolly jumper and had traded in that short skirt for something much warmer.

"I failed," he said weakly, trying to stop his voice from shaking. "I couldn't stop her."

"We were already too late, Barry."

He grimaced. "I lost the battle." He had thrown everything he had against her, but it hadn't been enough. "I couldn't do it. I was too weak." His shoulders slumped, and he turned his attention back to the ground, unable to look at Dawn anymore. What did she think of him now?

"You're not weak, Barry," Dawn said, kneeling down next to him.

He refused to meet her eyes. "I thought I was strong… but she proved I wasn't as tough as I thought." Laughably weak, she had said. "All I wanted was to be someone my father could be proud of… He'd be so disappointed if he could see how weak I am."

His father had left a couple of years ago to take up a job offer somewhere in the Battle Frontier. He kept in contact with the man sometimes through email, but it just wasn't the same as speaking to him face to face. He vowed to become a trainer his father would be proud of and he believed the only way to do that was to become the Champion.

Dawn placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look at me, Barry. You're not weak. You're one of the strongest trainers I know – you keep pushing me to become a better trainer," she said softly. "Do you remember the brothers at the Veilstone Gym?" He nodded. "Being a trainer is more than just becoming stronger – it's about standing up for what is right and that's where you draw your strength."

He let her words sink in, trying to grasp the meaning behind them. "What do you fight for?"

"To defend the ones I care about," she said softly. "I draw my strength from love."

Passion. That's what he lacked and it's what gave Dawn the upper hand over him. She had a reason to fight – up until this moment, he had been training to become the strongest trainer in Sinnoh, but now he was beginning to realize strength came from other sources. "I've been a poor friend, haven't I?" he said, turning to meet her eyes.

She smiled. "We may have not travelled together much at all, but you have always brought a smile to my face. I couldn't ask for anything more in a friend." She pulled her hand away and helped him up from the ground. "What do you say you and I stop those commanders together, yeah?"

He couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face. "What about the gym?"

"Well, yeah, that's not such a bad idea."

"You go on ahead. I'll meet up with you in Veilstone."

"You're not going to take on the gym?" she replied, an eyebrow lifted.

He shook his head. "The gym battle can wait. I want to fight Jupiter again and this time she won't beat me. Give me a call when you're done here and we'll take them on together."

"Don't take too long, Barry – I might have to fine you ten million dollars," Dawn teased. She turned around and left the lake leaving Barry alone. He chuckled to himself at her comment. He waited for her to leave then exited himself, dusting the snow off his clothing. Becoming the strongest trainer was still his primary goal, but now he had a reason for it, rather than it just being a title to boast about. He was going to be a Champion who fought to protect others.


	22. Red Hot, Ice Cold

This is a short filler chapter. Things pick up again after this one. Thanks to Aqua644 for reviewing chapter 16!

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 **Chapter Twenty One: Red Hot, Ice Cold**

Entering the Snowpoint gym gave her temporary relief from the biting cold. Summer was supposed to have already started, but snow was still falling, and according to the locals, this could go on for a few days before dying completely. It was still cold inside the gym, but at least there was no foul wind in here. Wrapping her arms around her body, she moved towards the door leading to the battle arena when she was stopped by the gym advisor.

She was pleased to know he too was shivering. "Welcome to Snowpoint Gym," he said through chattering teeth. "The coldest battle of your gym career begins here, no pun intended. You'll be fighting in an ice-skating rink so make sure you help yourself to some ice skates right by the corner as you enter the hall."

Ice-skating rink? She had always wanted to go ice-skating before, but never had she imagined she'd be doing that in a gym. She hoped her Pokemon could stay upright on the ice otherwise this was going to be quite an embarrassing battle. "Okay. Anything else?"

"As you'd expect by the design of this place, all the trainers here use Ice-type Pokemon. You'll be able to melt them with a fire-type Pokemon, but be warned – if the fire burns too hot, the ice will melt and you'll find yourself standing in a puddle of water. Fighting-type and Ground-type moves will help you here as well if you don't want to run the risk of melting the ice. You'll need to fight at least two trainers to battle Candice." He winked. "Good luck!"

Dawn headed into the next room and found the skates leaning up against the wall to her right. She removed her shoes, placed them on the bench then picked up the skates and sat down to put them on. Having never skated before, she wasn't quite sure how this experience was going to go. She took a cautious step forward, keeping her arms outstretch to steady herself. Cautiously, she stepped onto the ice and immediately fell over, landing on her backside. Falling on the ice was so much worse than she imagined.

This was far worse than the fighting gym – she was battling with elements this time and it hurt like hell. Her backside stung and her body had become numb thanks to the cold. Grumbling to herself, she took baby steps forward only to fall down again. This was the worst. She climbed to her feet again and steadied herself then moved forward. With persistence, she managed to skate over to the first trainer, after sustaining a couple of injuries in the process.

A female looked down at her, dressed in thick warm orange clothing. Dawn noticed she wore a nametag reading, 'Alicia'. "You are feeling cold, aren't you?" Alicia said, pulling her hood down, revealing long black hair. "Let's have a battle to keep you warm. Go my twin Sneasels!"

Two bipedal weasel-type Pokemon emerged from their pokeballs. Dawn brought out her Pokedex and held it before her.

 _Sneasel. A smart and sneaky Pokemon. A pair may work together to steal eggs by having one lure the parents away._

Dawn placed her Pokedex in the pocket of her jacket and stared down at the strange looking creature. It had the shape of a weasel, but a face that reminded her of a feline, only it lacked whiskers. "Go for it, Houndoom!" She threw out her pokeball. Houndoom smacked his tail against the hard surface, chipping away a bit at the ice.

Dawn knew she had to be careful here and ensure she didn't use any overpowering fire area effect moves otherwise she'd create a hole and fall in water. Flailing around in freezing water wasn't something she was eager to experience. She summoned her second Pokemon, Haunter, knowing her other remaining Pokemon were extremely weak to ice-type moves.

"Sneasels, use Slash!" The agile twins dashed forward, swiping their claws at their opponents. Haunter was temporarily knocked out of the air while Houndoom received a gash on his face. Houndoom growled.

"Houndoom, use Fire Fang!" Houndom lunged, his fangs burning hot, sinking them into the flesh of the first Sneasel. The Sneasel howled, and tried to free himself, but Houndoom's grip was too strong. The creature turned limp and Houndoom released it letting Sneasel land on the ice, black scorch marks left on its neck. The other Sneasel hissed. "Now Haunter, use Confuse Ray!" Haunter floated towards Sneasel, his claws outstretched then reached down, pressing a finger against the Sneasel's forehead. Sneasel's eyes turned a misty grey.

"Sneasel, use Slash again!" Sneasel ignored its command, choosing to run around in circles instead, chasing its red tail feathers. The trainer groaned. "Oh no, my poor Sneasel!"

"Houndoom, finish this with Fire Fang!" Once more, Houndoom lunged forward, using his fore paws to knock the confused Sneasel onto its belly. Vulnerable, Houndoom opened his jaws and clamped them around its lean body, causing the Pokemon to scream in pain. Houndoom held the Sneasel in place for a couple of moments then dropped it on the ground. Sneasel remained still. Victory number one, thought Dawn.

While the trainer recalled her Pokemon, Dawn shuffled forwards, slowly making her way to the next trainer, her Pokemon safely back in their pokeballs. Soon, she found herself facing the next trainer, a female called Savannah. There were three pokeballs around the girl's waist. "Do you have what it takes to defeat my icy trio? Show me!" She summoned her three Pokemon.

Two small, black Pokemon with ovoid shaped bodies appeared, it's circular, light blue eyes peering up at Dawn with interest. It was quite an ugly creature and Dawn found herself thinking ice-type Pokemon were freaky looking. This one had wide teeth, and seemed to lack digits on its hands and feet. The other Pokemon was a levitating spherical rock covered in ice with two large black horns on its head.

Once again, she pulled out her Pokedex for information, moving it to the twin ovoid Pokemon.

 _Snorunt. It is said that several Snorunt gather under giant leaves and live together in harmony._

She moved her Pokedex to the floating rock.

 _Glalie. Glalie is one of Snorunt's final evolutions. If female, Snorunt evolves into Froslass when exposed to a Dawn Stone._

She put her Pokedex away again, and summoned her Houndoom once more, knowing his fire-type moves would make short work of the ice-type Pokemon, but who else to use as back up? She decided to use Honchkrow and Zweilous hoping their power and speed would be of use here. "Houndoom, use Fire Fang! Honchkrow, use Wing Attack! Zweilous, Dragon Pulse!"

For the third time during this gym challenge, Houndoom used Fire Fang, throwing himself at the Glalie. He used both his fore paws to knock it out of the air then pounced and bit into the ice rock casing. The ice started to melt, drops of water landing on the floor, forming into a puddle. Honchkrow took to the air and rained feathered arrows down, his feathers pelting the Glalie's head. Zweilous joined in releasing a powerful beam, knocking the Glalie out of the air.

"Snorunts, use Icy Wind!" The two Snorunts danced around each other, their little feet kicking up clippings of ice into the air. They changed their dance pattern, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, whipping up a wind, so cold Dawn thought she was going to turn into a human popsicle. _Thank Arceus I purchased these clothes_ , she thought, wrapping her arms around her body, as the cold air brushed up against her, sleet hitting her face.

Her face stung, but at least she hadn't been turned into an ice cube. Honchkrow and Zweilous froze in place as an ice case formed over their bodies. Houndoom's naturally hotter body temperature prevented him from suffering the same fate. The ice casing shattered to pieces as the wind died down. Honchkrow and Zweilous were no longer frozen, but they did not move. Dawn recalled her two fainted Pokemon and sent forth Torterra and Haunter as back up.

"Houndoom, use Fire Fang!" Houndoom pounced on the fallen Glalie and sunk his fangs into the rock hard defence again, causing the ice to melt at a faster rate than before. The Glalie was now lying in a pool of its own water. Savannah called her Glalie back. "Haunter, use Shadow Ball!" Haunter lifted his claws and conjured up a black glowing ball. Once the ball was twice his size, he hurled it forward, knocking down one of the Snorunts. "Torterra, use Earthquake!"

Torterra stomped all four feet onto the ice, causing the ground to shake violently. A crack appeared and the remaining Snorunt fell into the freezing water, flailing its arms around helplessly, trying to stay afloat. The temperature might not have been an issue for it, but the Pokemon wasn't built for swimming. Savannah retrieved her Pokemon the moment the ground stopped shaking. "Smart strategy. I can see how you've made it this far. Go on and fight our leader if you wish, or you can take the remaining trainers out for practice."

She was running low on revives and healing potions now and she didn't want to keep wasting her special pouch of Sacred Ash. She decided to skate on past the remaining trainers heading directly for the leader who was standing on the opposite end of the rink. Wasting time wasn't an option anyway with Galactic grunts on the attack – the quicker she obtained this badge, the better.

Every movement she made sent a shudder of pain throughout her body, but she gritted her teeth and powered on, determined to claim the seventh badge so she could move on and defeat Team Galactic. The gym leader smiled, throwing Dawn off guard. She always imagined an ice-type specialist would be cold and distant like their Pokemon, but that didn't seem to be the case here.

"You want to challenge Candice? Sure thing! I was waiting for someone tough! But I should tell you, I'm tough because I know how to focus. Pokemon, fashion, romance… It's all about focus! I'll show you just what I mean. Get ready to lose!"

 _What a strange girl,_ Dawn thought to herself. Candice was dressed in a simple uniform. Wasn't she cold? She thought. Perhaps wearing outfits not designed to keep a trainer warm was part of the training of becoming an ice-type specialist. "Go Houndoom!" Houndoom leapt forward. This time, she was not going to hold back on area affect attacks.

"Go for it, Sneasel!" Sneasel dragged its claws across the ground, scraping off bits of ice. "Use Aerial Ace!" Sneasel took a running leap into the air, and slashed the tips of his claws against the back of the Houndoom. The Sneasel moved so quickly, it was just a blur to her eyes. Houndoom wasn't able to evade the blow and yelped as Sneasel made contact, his claws leaving a deep gash on his back.

"Houndoom, use Fire Blast! Take him down, now!" Houndoom planted his paws into the ground and lowered his head, opening his mouth to spit forth a large ball of flame. It moved along the icy terrain, causing the ice to shatter into pieces as the flames intensified. Sneasel evaded the blast by rolling to the side, but it did little to save itself from the ice melting underneath. He slipped over on the ice and stabbed its claws into the flooring to keep itself upright.

"I can sense your will to win, but I promise you I'm not about to lose!" Candice called out. "Sneasel, use Aerial Ace again!" Sneasel pulled his claws out and rushed forward, jumping into the air again, crashing down onto the Houndoom's back. It slashed again, creating another deep gash, prompting her Houndoom to howl in pain.

Houndoom shook his body and threw the Sneasel off then bounded forward, throwing his entire weight against the smaller creature. Sneasel tried to evade, but the slippery ground caused it to stumble over. Houndoom skidded across the melting terrain and smacked into his opponent. "Houndoom, use Fire Fang now!" Houndoom picked up the Sneasel around its neck, holding it in place while his fangs turned a glowing orange. The Sneasel turned limp in his jaws. Houndoom spat it out.

One down and three more to go, Dawn counted. Candice smirked. "Not bad, but that was just the beginning. It was smart of you to take advantage of the environment, but will that do you more harm than good?" She reached down for her next pokeball. "Go for it, Piloswine!"

A large mammoth-like Pokemon with shaggy brown hair appeared. Its entire body was covered by the long hair, except for the large tusks protruding from the sides of its snout. Dawn referred to her Pokedex for information.

 _Piloswine. The evolved form of Swinub. Covered by a shaggy coat, it is strong against the cold. Its tusks of ice thicken when it snows._

"Houndoom, use Smog!" Opening his mouth again, Houndoom breathed a cloud of purple mist adding some much needed colour to the otherwise mostly white landscape of the gym's interior. The Piloswine walked through the mist, its shaggy long locks protecting it from breathing in any of the poison.

"Piloswine, use Hail!"

The ceiling opened. Piloswine reared on its two legs and brought them down as hailstones fell from the clouds above, striking everything caught in its path. Dawn covered her head with her arms, a hiss of pain escaping her throat, as hailstones struck her on her arms. There was no room to hide – her only option was to endure the pain and fight on and pray this battle was a short one. "Now Houndoom, charge forward and use Fire Blast up close!"

Houndoom sprinted through the falling hailstones and jumped on the Piloswine's back. Piloswine swayed back and forth in an attempt to throw the canine off, but Houndoom held on for dear life until the mammoth creature stopped. Now steady, Houndoom aimed a ball of fire on the Pokemon's back. The stench of singed hair filled the air. The mammoth collapsed causing the a few more cracks in the ice to appear. It wouldn't be long before the ice beneath them gave way to freezing water.

"Abomasnow!" A large, bipedal creature covered in shaggy fur appeared. With the exception of its limbs and tail, its entire body was as white as the snow. Hailstones pelted its head, but it remained unaffected, as if it was accustomed to this type of weather. Pale purple eyes with bushy eyebrows covered its face, staring at Dawn, sending a shudder down her spine. It was like looking at a snowman from her nightmares. "I must say, I've warmed up to you! I might even admire you a little," said Candice.

Dawn held up her Pokedex again.

 _Abomasnow. It evolves from Snover. They appear when the snow flowers bloom. When the petals fall, they retreat to places unknown again._

That was one Pokemon she didn't want to cross paths with come Christmas time. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" If she could melt the ice around the Pokemon then it would fall into the water. Something with that shape and bulky form couldn't be able to swim, right? She thought to herself. Houndoom charged and jumped.

"Abomasnow, use Water Pulse!" The snow man brought its hands forward, sending forth cannonballs of water. Water clashed with fire.

"Dodge it, Houndoom!"

Houndoom sidestepped as his flame was doused out by the water. He panted, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, drops of saliva landing on the floor. Another use of Fire Blast and her canine would probably faint from exhaustion. She glanced down at the ice and thought hard. With the exception of Sneasel, Candice's Pokemon appeared to lack speed. Relying on speed and making use of her surrounding environment was her only chance to win this. Reviving her fainted Pokemon wasn't an option – they were super weak to Ice.

"Keep dodging, Houndoom!"

"Abomasnow, use Water Pulse again!"

The ice beneath his feet began to split as the canine ran around in circles. Abomasnow's cannonballs of water missed him each time, unable to keep up with Houndoom's superior speed. Whenever there was an opening, Houndoom took the opportunity to bite down on the snow man. Each time it would step forward to throw a punch, causing the ground around it to shake slightly.

"Use Avalanche, Abomasnow!"

The snowman stomped causing the cracks to deepen. Chunks of ice split off, one of them isolating her Houndoom from land. The piece Abomasnow was standing on also broke off as layers of snow poured down through the ceiling opening covering all standing its path. Dawn hurried out of harm's way. Houndoom jumped to the stable land to avoid the avalanche, but didn't quite make it, and fell into the pool with a splash. Dawn immediately recalled her Pokemon. She called out her Haunter.

"Use Hypnosis, Haunter!" He floated forward, hovering above the snowman's head then reached out to press a claw against his forehead. The Abomasnow's eyes squeezed shut and it flopped forwards. The platform dipped into the water from the force of the impact and Abomasnow slipped in, head first.

Candice called her Pokemon back. "I can't say I've ever seen any trainer do that before – you're a very special trainer… but now I'm going to break the ice and bring out my last-resort Pokemon! Go Froslass!" A humanoid Pokemon with a hollow torso resembling a kimono appeared, a red band wrapped around its waist. It didn't appear to have any feet so it floated in the air in the same manner as Haunter. Relying on the water wasn't going to help her here. Crystal blue eyes peered at through two of the holes on its face.

 _Froslass. The final evolution of a female Glalie. It freezes prey by blowing its minus fifty eight degree Fahrenheit breath. It is said to then secretly display its prey._

"Froslass, use Blizzard!" The Froslass whipped up a powerful windstorm, drawing in the falling hailstones, using that as a weapon. Broken pieces of ice lifted up into the air and merged in with the blizzard forming a lethal wind of destruction. Dawn's teeth chattered. She wrapped her jacket tighter around her body, but it did nothing to stop the cold. The water she had worked hard to create turned back into a solid again as the intensity of the blizzard continued to build.

Sleet struck her face. The higher up gym battles felt more like an endurance test than a Pokemon battle. Her face numbed lessening the pain, but now she just felt stiff. "Come on, Haunter! I know you can do this! Get up close and use Shadow Ball!" she called over the howling wind. Haunter floated forwards, shielding his face with his claws, protecting his eyes from damage. The power of the wind pushed him back, but her Haunter remained determined to endure the elements.

Dawn copied her Haunter's posture and shielded her face with her arms then moved forward, hoping her Pokemon could draw on strength from the bond they shared. It seemed like a crazy theory, but right now she was desperate to ensure she won the battle. Each step felt more exhausting than the previous, but she was making ground and Haunter too seemed to be moving in closer to the target.

She brought her arms down briefly to look ahead. Haunter was only a few feet away from the Froslass, close enough to ensure his Shadow Ball didn't get blown away in the wind. "Now Haunter! Attack!" Haunter raised one claw and conjured a sphere with a purple aura and hurled it forward. The ball struck the Froslass in the back of her head ruining the Pokemon's concentration. The blizzard down died much to Dawn's relief.

"Froslass, use Shadow Ball!" Froslass conjured her own ball of shadow and launched it at Haunter. The ball struck him in the face knocking him back a few inches, a hiss of pain escaping his mouth.

Dawn remembered ghost-types were weak against their own types, but apparently Froslass was weak to ghost-types as well. She had to hope her Pokemon would come out the winner. "Haunter, use Shadow Ball again!" Haunter hurled another ball, striking the opponent in the face, knocking her down to the ground.

"Froslass, use Psychic!"

Froslass closed her eyes and opened them again, her crystal blue eyes turning white. Haunter was thrown across the room by an invisible force, his body slamming into a wall, knocking it down. Haunter remained on the floor and Dawn returned him. She still had her exhausted Houndoom left, but did he have enough endurance to win? She called her canine out.

"Okay Houndoom, it's up to you!"

"Froslass, use Blizzard!"

Froslass summoned another snowstorm although it didn't hit as strongly as it did before, but it was still strong enough to freeze the surrounding environment. Glass windows shattered into thousands of pieces, scattering across the ground. Natural snow fell through the roof merging with the Pokemon-created blizzard adding more power to it.

Dawn's hair blew in the wind, making it difficult for her to see what was going on before her, as she struggled to come up with a strategy to combat the blizzard. If only she could use the power of the wind against the Froslass… Wait. That's it, she thought. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" Houndoom expelled a ball of fire into the blizzard. It exploded, and flames burst merging with the windstorm, turning it into a howling inferno instead. Froslass was trapped in the vortex, her pained cries ringing throughout the gym.

It was freezing earlier, but now it was boiling hot. The ice in the gym started to melt and before Dawn knew it, she felt water seeping into her shoes. Houndoom's legs buckled and he landed on the floor, too exhausted to continue fighting on. The fights leading up to this moment had drained his energy. "You did well, Houndoom," Dawn said, recalling her Pokemon back to the safety of his pokeball.

The firestorm died down. In its place was a burned Froslass, standing in a pool of water. Somehow, the Pokemon survived despite being severely injured in the process. Candice wiped her brow. "Wow! You burn hot! But I'm still standing and it doesn't seem like you have any Pokemon left!"

She was right. Honchkrow, Zweilous, Houndoom, Haunter and Torterra had all fainted… but she still had Eevee. Eevee didn't have the power to stand toe to toe with the Froslass, but the ice-type was so weak now, any move would knock it out. "Okay Eevee, go for it!" Eevee jumped out of Dawn's bag and skidded across the melting ice. "Use Quick Attack!" She hurried across the surface and jumped into the puddle the Froslass was standing in. Eevee rammed her head into Froslass and knocked the weakened Pokemon over.

Candices' jaw dropped. "Wow! You are great!" she said, recalling her Pokemon. "You've earned my respect! I think your focus and will bowled us over totally!" She walked around the growing puddle of water and sauntered over to Dawn. "Don't worry about the gym – I'll freeze it after you leave. You're not the first trainer to use fire-type moves against me, but I've never seen anyone turn my own move against me. Oh, that's right! I'm supposed to give you this!" She dug a hand into the inside of her skirt, pulling out a tiny little badge.

In Candice's palm was a badge that resembled twin mountains. Dawn accepted it and placed it in her badge case. "Thanks."

"That's the Icicle Badge! You don't need to thank me – you totally earned it," she gushed. "Do you think I should try to act more like an ice-type gym leader? Like, do you think I should be more cool and distant? That sort of thing I have trouble with." She shrugged.

Was that a rhetorical question? It seemed like the trainer already answered her own question. "Okay."

"Anyway, your next destination should be Sunyshore, but I wouldn't recommend going there right now – the city is having some power problems at the moment. Besides, I hear there is something major happening in Veilstone City so you should probably go there and check it out. I would myself, but I need to fix up the gym. Catch you later, sometime!" Candice waved and Dawn made her way out of the gym, skating to the other side.

Now it was time to put an end to Galactic's plans once and for all.


	23. Abandon All Hope

Thanks to Tgonthefiery for reviewing the previous chapter. Ha ha, you're so right. She's a bit of a twat.

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 **Chapter Twenty Two: Abandon All Hope**

Cyrus had expected to see a large group of his grunts patrolling the lower levels of Mount Coronet, but to his surprise, only one grunt had shown up, whom he recognized as the one who had informed him of the sexual activity taking place in the Nap Room. He walked over to question him. It wasn't like the grunts had gotten lost on the way – a couple of days ago he had shown them the route to the mountain to prevent such a disaster from occurring.

"Where is everyone?" he demanded.

The grunt paled the moment Cyrus landed eyes on him. "B-boss!" he stuttered, twiddling his thumbs together, his eyes glancing down at his feet. "I-I am not sure!" he blurted, still refusing to meet Cyrus's glare. The stutter in his tone and his refusal to lock eyes told Cyrus the boy knew something, but was afraid to share it.

He moved forward swiftly, reached out a hand and grabbed the boy around the neck, shoving him into the wall. The boy yelped and tried to free himself, but Cyrus's grip was unrelenting. "I am going to ask you again and this time I expect a better answer. Where is everyone?" he said in a low voice.

"Th-they left, b-boss," he spluttered. "The-they sai-said they got a bet-better deal from ssoo-some-someone else." Anger poured through him, prompting him to unknowingly tighten his grip around the young adult's neck. The boy's eyes widened. He gasped for breath and started to kick his legs in a desperate attempt to free himself. "Bo-boss!" he gasped.

Cyrus glanced down sharply at the boy and released his grip noticing how pale he was. The boy fell to his knees, a hand around his neck, drawing in deep heavy breaths. Cyrus turned his back, and took in a few deep breaths himself, trying to calm himself down. Betrayed. A simple word, yet it stirred ugly powerful emotions of hatred and fury, cutting through him like a butcher's knife slicing meat.

He turned around again. "Keep talking."

"I-I tried to convince them to stay, bu-but they said you wer-were m-m-mad." The grunt took in a deep mouthful of air and continued speaking, his eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know they are g-going! Please, you must believe me!" He cowered before Cyrus, tears spilling down his cheeks and onto the ground.

Cyrus looked down at him, tilting his head to one head, contemplating the grunt's fate. He was useless, like most of the other grunts in his workforce, but at least this one had remained loyal. That had to count for something. "Why are you here? Why did you not leave with the rest of them?"

"I swore to serve you faithfully!" he cried.

Cyrus raised a brow. "Perhaps you are a spy."

The boy's eyes widened. "N-no!"

"Why should I believe you?"

"I will prove my loyalty to you!" He reached a hand down into his pocket pulling out a small knife. Stretching out his left palm before him, he brought the edge of the blade to the skin and began to drag it across slowly, the sharp edges cutting into the flesh.

"Stop this nonsense," Cyrus ordered before he could stop himself. He wasn't sure why he even cared – this boy was just a grunt, a meaningless person whose only purpose in life was to carry out Cyrus's orders. He shouldn't even be concerned for the boy's life, but it mattered to him and he didn't know why. It was the same feeling he felt just moments ago when he had a hand to his vulnerable throat. He couldn't harm the boy.

Blood trickled down the boy's hand, dripping onto the ground. "I am loyal to you," the grunt murmured weakly, continuing to drag the blade across his palm, until he reached the other end. He clenched his hand. Blood seeped through his fingers.

"You need to leave," Cyrus said. The boy opened his mouth to argue, but Cyrus silenced him with a glare. "You said you were loyal to me – I want you to head to a place called Twinleaf Town and deliver a message to a woman called Johanna. Tell her," he said then paused. Why was he even bothering? The world as he knew it would cease to exist by the end of day. What was the point in even delivering a message when it wasn't going to matter anyway? But he wanted to. He needed to.

"Tell her what, boss?"

"Tell her I apologize," he said after a few seconds delay. "She will understand."

A pang of regret poured through him and that confused him even more. Regret wasn't something he was supposed to feel. He had spent many long years masking his emotions waiting for the day he had the chance to permanently remove them. Touching Mesprit was supposed to erase all feelings, but instead it seemed to have heightened his sensitivity to emotions. No wonder Charon had refused to touch the Mesprit. He had known all along. The sooner he reached the peak, the better for his state of mind.

"Okay, boss."

"Now leave."

The boy hurried away, clutching a bleeding hand to his stomach, as Cyrus looked towards the cave's entrance. Soon, everything would change for the better. He stepped inside.

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Dawn wasn't quite sure what she was expecting when she returned to the streets of Veilstone City. It was incredibly quiet – normally, the streets would be filled with people, but it was so dead now it was like she had stumbled in on a graveyard. Where had all the locals gone? Where was Maylene? Why on earth was it so quiet here? So many questions raced through her mind, but she did not have an answer to any of them.

"Dawn!"

She jerked her head in the direction of the sound and spotted Barry a few metres up ahead, poking his head out from behind a building. He motioned for her to hurry over just as two Galactic grunts emerged from the headquarters, their mouths pressed into grim smiles. Dawn felt tempted to run over right now and teach them a lesson, but Barry grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the building, stopping her from doing anything rash.

"Don't be reckless, Dawn."

He was so serious Dawn almost laughed at the obscurity of it. Don't be reckless? Now wasn't the time for laughs though and she remained quiet, watching the two grunts walk by, two Houndoours following behind them. She pressed her back against the wall, trying to blend herself in with the brick, but fortunately the grunts did not look their way.

"Charon says we have to catch the ship."

"But the boss says we're needed with him."

The first grunt shrugged. "Charon is the rightful leader of Team Galactic."

"But the boss…" murmured the other grunt.

"The boss lied to us," the first grunt hissed. "He sent our brothers to their deaths. Our lives mean nothing to him, but Charon sees our true worth." He placed his arms on the worried grunt. "You can choose to take the path the boss wants you to take, but you will go alone."

The second grunt glanced down at his feet. "I will come and board the ship with you," he softly whispered, lifting his gaze up from the floor, as his friend's hands were removed from his shoulder. The other grunt smiled, but said no more, as they continued walking down the street. Once they disappeared behind a corner, Barry turned to Dawn, his blond brows knotted in confusion.

"What was that about?" he murmured.

Dawn frowned. "I don't know, but it sounds like there are quite a few people who aren't too impressed with my father." She moved away from the wall and glanced up at the Galactic building.

Barry placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this?"

She nodded. "I need to know the truth, Barry." For a long number of years she had always wanted to meet him, but now that she knew he was behind the bombings, she didn't feel so certain. How could she look into the eyes of a man who was indirectly responsible for the deaths of innocent Pokemon? She didn't even know what to say to him. She pulled her gaze away and looked at Barry. "I need to do this alone."

"That's too dangerous," Barry replied. "I can't let you go in their alone."

She smiled. "I appreciate it, but I need to know where Cyrus is."

Barry removed his arm. "You're reckless, Dawn. I'm supposed to be the reckless one."

"I guess the roles have reversed then," she replied wryly. "I'll be fine. My Pokemon will protect me."

She turned away from him, moving into the building's shadow, feeling her heart beat begin to quicken. This must've been how May and Red felt when they faced the ones who threatened their homeland's peace. In the corner of her eye, she could see Barry standing still, debating with himself what to do next. She knew he wanted to come with her, but she also knew he wasn't going to stand in the way of her wishes.

"I'll wait for you at Twinleaf, Dawn. You better be there."

"I promise. I'll see you there."

He didn't see convinced, but he turned away and followed the path the grunts had taken earlier, disappearing from her sight. Dawn's hand slipped down into her bag, her fingers brushing up against the key Saturn had given to her. Curling her fingers around it, she pulled it out and strode towards the building, trying to calm her racing heart beat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

She stopped.

"Turn around, Dawn. I prefer to face my enemies when I defeat them so I can see their grief."

Paul. She was beginning to wonder when that boy would show his face again, but did he have to decide now was a good time? Turning around, she turned to glare at him, hoping he'd see the frustration on her face. "Paul," she said slowly. The boy looked much the same as last time, except his hair was now longer, reaching down to his shoulders. His expression remained as hard as ever, his lips seeming permanently fixed in a smirk. "What do you want?"

He sauntered towards her, a hand resting on his pokebelt. "I wanted to show you around my hometown," he replied, holding his hands up in the air, gesturing to the building surrounding them. "What? You're not interested? How about a Pokemon battle then, winner takes all?" he added, moving his hand down to his pokebelt again.

"I don't have the time to battle with you."

Paul sighed, brushing his bangs away from his face. "You don't have a choice." He removed a pokeball from his belt and threw it forward, summoning a Torterra to the field. His Torterra had a deep scar running down the centre of its head, and the horns on either side were chipped. "Someone is offering a lot of money to have you defeated."

Dawn summoned her Torterra. The two tortoises' glowered at the other. "So you're doing this for money?"

"You gotta do what it takes survive. Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!"

His Torterra stomped the ground, vines bursting out of his tree, digging themselves into the holes the tortoise had created. The vines ran deep underground and Dawn could see cracks appearing where the vines moved. Thick roots burst up from the cracks, covered in thorns, sharp enough to tear away the flesh. Dawn jumped out of the way as one of the roots emerged from underneath her.

Another root lifted her Torterra up from the ground, throwing her tortoise to the side, his back ramming against a nearby building. The force of the impact created the wall to cave in, causing bricks to topple down, landing in a heap. Dust rose up, temporarily creating a haze, limiting visibility. Dawn coughed, as the dust drifted towards her, bringing tears to her eyes. Paul's Torterra was strong – much stronger than she had anticipated. Paul's methods, although unethical and cruel, had turned his Pokemon into an indestructible tank. Right now she didn't have the power to take on such a beast.

Through the vines, she could see Paul standing opposite to her, his arms folded across his chest. He caught her eye and winked. She cocked her head to the side, confused. What game was he playing at? Her thoughts disappeared when the vines came to life, its tendrils reaching out to grab hold of any solid object in sight. The tendrils wrapped around a house until it could no longer be seen then tightened, crushing the building until it was nothing but smouldering ruin.

"You know, Dawn, you could try and put up a fight," Paul taunted.

She glanced in the direction of her Torterra, but all she saw was a mountain of bricks, her Torterra most likely trapped underneath it. "You're destroying the city!"

"Give yourself up and we'll stop otherwise I'm going to tear this place down."

Paul seemed different from the last she saw him. Last time, he seemed to only care about his own selfish goals and that was making his team the ultimate power force. This time, he seemed to be fighting for a cause he didn't wholeheartedly believe in. Destroying buildings to get at one trainer didn't fit in with his earlier goals about making the perfect team.

"Who do you work for?"

"I serve myself," Paul replied. "I don't answer to anyone."

"You're lying."

He snorted. "I see what this is – you're trying to get inside my head, but you won't find anything that will help you. Is this how you fight your battles? You spend your time chatting?" He snickered. "Words won't save you. Torterra, use Stone Edge!" The earth beneath her Torterra split open, making way for roots, which propelled her tortoise skywards. The roots returned to the ground and Torterra came crashing down, his back facing downwards. He landed with a loud thud, a dust cloud shrouding him.

"Torterra!" Dawn called. She ran forward towards the place her Torterra lay when a vine smacked the path in front of her. "This isn't right, Paul!" She tried to move past once again, but the vines blocked her. There was no way she could gain access to Torterra.

Paul's laughter filled the air. "None of your Pokemon can even compare to the power of mine. Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!" The vines whipped back and forth, the tendrils grabbing hold of any solid medium-sized object they could, turning them into rubble within seconds. The scene around her seemed like it came directly out of an apocalyptic movie, only this was a reality. She leapt out of the way as debris flew over head, a chunk of wall ripped off by a vine.

She could see no possible way of winning this battle under the current circumstances – Paul was far too strong to take on directly. Digging a hand into her bag, she searched for the master key and wrapped her fingers around it. She quickly summoned Houndoom to deal with the tendrils. Houndoom's breath of fire set alight a vine, but the victory was short lived. Every vine that was knocked down was replaced by another one within seconds.

She made a break for the entrance of the headquarters. "Houndoom, find Torterra!" Houndoom nodded and jumped over a scorched vine then lowered his head to the ground, sniffing the earth for Torterra's scent. He lifted his head then bounded off to the north-east towards a pile of rubble while Dawn jammed the key into the door. She could hear Paul calling out her name. She turned the key, opened the door and hurried inside, slamming it shut behind her.

Once inside, she pressed her back against the wall, taking a few moments to calm her racing heart. Paul's Torterra was strong, but not powerful enough to take down this massive building. He'd probably find a way to blast down the door eventually though so she didn't have much time to waste here. She hoped Houndoom and Torterra would distract Paul long enough for her to learn the truth.

Moving away from the door, she stepped towards two flights of stairs both leading to the floor above. At first glance, they appeared identical, but on closer inspection, she noticed there was a sign next to the staircase on the right reading, 'this staircase does not lead to a dead end'. She headed up the stairs, noticing the building was strangely quite vacant. There was not a single grunt to be seen in sight.

The second floor was just as uninteresting as the first – the floor was a dark grey and the walls were a shade lighter with nothing of interest to look at. What was even stranger was there didn't appear to be any form of life in here – the bins were empty, there was no furniture around in sight and there wasn't even a mark of dirt anywhere – it was as if they had cleaned the entire place out knowing the authorities would be here to investigate.

Dawn continued making her upwards to the peak level, bypassing a few more bare rooms until she reached a room with a large screen and a lectern on a raised platform. Nothing was playing on the television at the moment – it seemed to be stuck on a screen showcasing a giant yellow 'G' with a space background. _This must be the room where Cyrus addressed his grunts,_ Dawn observed.

She walked up the stairs and headed towards a door in the far right corner. The silence of the place was unsettling – she couldn't help but think she was walking right into a trap. Perhaps this was planned and the grunts were going to ambush her. She inserted the key into the door, glancing over her shoulder, as if expecting one of the commanders to appear, but there was nothing. The place really was deserted.

The door popped open and she stepped inside. This room was different from the others – this one had a variety of machines and night sky wallpaper. It wasn't the machinery that caught her attention though – lying on the floor, slumped in a corner, were three coloured Pokemon covered in blood. She assumed they were the Lake Guardians. Dawn immediately rushed over towards them and knelt down, pressing her hand against their bodies, trying to detect a heartbeat.

Nothing. She moved her hand through the blood, trying to find another spot where it would be easier to feel a pulse, but she still found nothing. She tried again and this time she detected a pulse. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth. At least the Pokemon were alive, but for how much longer? Something had been ripped out of their backs with force.

"You poor Pokemon," she murmured softly. "Who would do such a thing?"

"You're too late," a voice said behind her.

Dawn froze; the voice didn't belong to her father, but rather to someone else she couldn't quite recognize. She glanced over her shoulder and spotted a man in a blood-splattered lab coat, black framed glasses sitting on his nose, his smile twisted into a cynical grin. Now she remembered him – he was the same man at the Valley Windworks she had encountered almost two years ago.

She climbed to her feet, her hands covered in the blood of the wounded Pokemon. "Charon."

Charon shut the door behind him then moved towards Dawn, rubbing his palms together, his eyes fixed on her face. "Ah, you remember my face. That is good." His grin widened. "You have come here searching for answers, yes?"

"Where is my father?"

"Cyrus? He's gone."

Charon stepped forward and Dawn took one step back. Her mind screamed danger, but her legs refused to move towards an escape route. "Gone?"

"Did you really come all this way thinking he'd be waiting for you here?" Charon shook his head in mock pity. "He abandoned you once before, Dawn – what makes you think anything has changed now?" Again, he stepped closer. Dawn took more steps back until she hit the wall. "But don't be afraid… I'm here to help you. "I can take you to your father if that's what your heart desires." He extended a hand.

Dawn looked at it. The grunts earlier were following orders from Charon, the one the first grunt claimed was the rightful leader of Team Galactic. Could Charon be trusted? He didn't seem like a danger – he was just an old man with no Pokemon, but then again, looks could be deceiving. "You give me his location and I'll find him myself," Dawn said.

Charon chuckled, but there was no humour in it. "I can't decide if you are foolish or brave. Why do you insist on meeting him?"

"I want the truth."

"The truth is before you, Dawn. These innocent Pokemon were tortured at the hands of your father – he took great delight in watching them suffer and you want to risk your life going after him?" Charon tilted his head to the side. "The same blood might flow through your veins, but that does not mean you are bound to him. You would be wise to be blind and walk away. Leave your father to his fate."

Dawn frowned. Charon seemed to be trying to convince her to walk away, but why? His loyalty to Cyrus was questionable – he didn't appear to hold the man in high regard, yet he willingly worked for him, but for what reason? Why would someone want to spend so many long years in service to a person they didn't care for… unless… Charon had an ulterior motive. Perhaps her father wasn't the true villain they were searching for. Perhaps the real mastermind was the one standing right in front of her, but it was hard to know the truth without hearing both sides. At the moment, she had no proof Charon harboured ill thoughts.

She needed to find Cyrus that much was certain, but where to look? The grunts hadn't mentioned his whereabouts and Charon didn't seem to want to give it away for whatever reason. Her only option was to use him and find information and pray to Arceus this wasn't a set up. "Please."

He studied her face then sighed. "I would like to borrow one of your Pokemon for a couple of moments. I believe you had a Murkrow at one point, yes?

She nodded. "Why should I entrust my Pokemon with you?"

"I was once a trainer like you, Dawn. I had a Pokemon of my own, a Rotom, but unfortunately he perished. Rotom's ashes are in a safe – you would not be so cruel to prohibit an old man from taking his partner with him?"

"Don't you have a key?"

"The safe was designed to only respond to a particular Pokemon. Cyrus designed it, and made sure only his Pokemon could open it." He gestured to a wall in the far eastern corner. "That is the safe. In exchange, I will give you the location of your father."

She looked at the wall trying to determine whether or not she could trust the man. Opening the safe protecting a Pokemon's ashes couldn't be harmful, right? She summoned her Honchkrow. The bird waddled over to the safe. "Use Night Slash, Honchkrow." Honchkrow jumped into the air, emitting a cry and slashed the door with his talons. An opening in the wall appeared and parted giving way to a tiny room.

There was a table in the room and sitting on the top was a brown chest with a padlock. Charon stepped inside and picked it up, carrying it with both hands. "Your father is at Mount Coronet." He bowed his head. "Good day to you, Dawn." He exited the room. She was tempted to follow him, but she knew she couldn't afford to waste more time.

"Let's leave this place, Honchkrow," she said. Honchkrow flapped over, seemingly quite eager to leave the building as well. She led the way to the second floor and peered down below. There was no sign of Paul, but he could be hiding in ambush. Leaving the way she entered wasn't a smart idea, but fortunately there were other ways to get around. She summoned Zweilous. "Zweilous, blast down this wall with Dragon Pulse!"

The two heads opened their mouths. Twin beams of draconic rage fused into one powerful beam, blasting the wall down. Before climbing onto her Honchkrow's back, she reached down into her bag and pulled out her Xtransceiver. Barry was probably worried sick about her. She dialled his number. "Barry, it's me, Dawn."

"Dawn!" he blurted.

"It's happening at Mount Coronet."

She hung up before Barry could get in another word. Putting the Xtransceiver back in her bag, she tightened the strap then climbed on her Honchkrow's back, after returning Zweilous to his ball. Honchkrow lifted and flew through the newly created opening and swooped down to the ground where her Houndoom and Torterra lay. Dawn retrieved her Pokemon back to their pokeballs and ordered her Honchkrow to fly in between the vines. Veilstone City was no longer a vibrant place of entertainment, but rather a war zone. She hoped no innocent lives had been caught in the crossfire.

"We need to head to Mount Coronet." Honchkrow squawked.

.

It had taken at least an hour to reach the upper levels of Mount Coronet and another hour to navigate his way through the twisting paths inside the mountain. Many of the paths led to dead ends much to Cyrus's annoyance – no one else had ever climbed to the peak before so he lacked the assistance of a map. It was a matter of trial and error and he had taken to drawing scratch marks into the walls before new paths to remind himself which ones he already taken.

The process would've been much easier if his grunts had been there as asked. They were supposed to be acting as live markers to make it easier for him and his commanders to find their way to the peak, but there was not a grunt to be seen. The absence of grunts made it far more difficult for him to find his way out – not only was it hard to find the right path, but there a large number of hostile Pokemon living up here.

The Pokemon were unlike any other he had crossed paths with before – these Pokemon did not live in a habitat populated with humans and regarded people as something to devour. There had been no traces of human remains on the lower levels, but there were quite a few bones up here. It was an upward climb of death. Many trainers had obviously tried to climb the mountain, but none had lived to tell the tale.

Fortunately, his Pokemon were more than capable enough of dealing with any threat they came across. It helped greatly all his Pokemon had great eyesight in dark places otherwise he'd still be lost and stumbling around in the darkness. He turned a corner and spotted a half-eaten human corpse lying before him. The stench of decomposing flesh filled his nostrils. He snorted, studied the corpse for a few moments then stepped over it continuing on his path.

The higher he climbed the colder it became and the more difficult it was to breathe. Every step became more difficult to make than the previous one, but he carried on, determined to make it to the peak. A cold breeze entered the cave, sending a chill racing down his spine. He followed the direction of the breeze hoping it would lead to an outdoor path that wasn't a dead end.

His Crobat and Honchkrow flew around him scouting the path ahead making sure it was safe to travel. He bypassed a few more human bones and wondered how so many trainers had perished. Surely, not all of them could've been killed by Pokemon? Stepping over a few more bones, he made his way towards the light, feeling a sense of relief pour through him. Progress at last.

He was panting now, his heart racing what felt like million miles a second. He paused for a couple of moments to regain his breath then continued on, making sure to stick close to the wall. Snow blew almost horizontally up here restricting his visibility severely, making it difficult to see his own arms and legs. He reached out a hand to the left, feeling for the wall, making sure he hadn't strayed in the wrong direction. One miscalculation and he'd join the ranks of the others who had been defeated by the mountain.

He took a few more steps forward, wincing as another gust of wind assaulted him. The wind felt like it had teeth – every gust felt like receiving a nasty gash, but the pain was short-lived, numbed by the freezing cold. He persisted though and soon found himself standing in a patch of grass, two trees on either side. Wind struck him again, so powerful, he was almost knocked over. He reached his hands out to the side to balance himself, fingers on his right hand brushing up against one of the trees.

The tree moved. He was confused for a few moments then realized the tree was in fact an Abomasnow. This one seemed much bigger than the ones found in possession of trainers around Snowpoint City though – two great shafts of ice protruded from its back with green sitting around the base. He immediately moved back and stepped into the other tree.

He remained still hoping the unusual Abomasnows wouldn't pick up his scent. Fighting them here in an environment which had limited visibility ran a high risk of a fatal fall. The Abomasnows roared. Cold breath washed up against his face, specks of saliva landing on him. As gross as it was, he did not move. The one to his left brought its head close to Cyrus's and sniffed then flicked out its wide reddish tongue, running it down his face, leaving a trail of saliva.

Cyrus cringed. The other Abomasnow joined in the sniffing session. He felt another rubber-like tongue lick the back of his neck. Slowly, he brought a hand to the belt around his waist, reaching for his Houndoom. He managed to remove the pokeball and let it drop to the floor. The pokeball opened and Houndoom emerged.

"Use Fire Blast, Houndoom."

His canine roared, and threw himself at the first Abomasnow, releasing a ball of fire. Flames encased the creature melting the icicle shards on his back. The Abomasnow roared. It reared up on its hind legs and swung his forelimbs back and forth, sending layers of snow in various directions. Cyrus made a break for it, but only covered a short distance when the other Abomasnow rammed into him, knocking him over onto his back.

Groaning, he picked himself up. The two Abomasnows stormed towards him. Fortunately, their movements were quite slow thanks to their bulky forms. Cyrus continued moving forward as fast as he could in deep snow, his Houndoom flanking his left side and stopped when he reached a rocky wall. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the pair of Abomasnows rapidly approaching him. He turned back to the wall again, searching for a way to climb it, but found nothing he could grab hold onto.

He moved across the wall, desperately trying to find something, anything, that would help him climb up. Another blast of wind knocked him back. It was through sheer determination he found the strength to carry on stopping at a bent tree. At least, he hoped it was one. He climbed up it then jumped down onto the ledge. The Abomasnows punched the ledge he was standing on, but their attacks did nothing. Houndoom hurried up the bent tree.

Cyrus glanced down at the pair. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast again." His loyal companion obeyed, breathing down fire on them, setting them alight. The two Abomasnows roared, swinging their fists at each other's heads to douse out the flames, but only succeeded in knocking each other out instead. One of the Abomasnows took too many steps back and fell off the edge. The other one hit the ledge and fell face first into the snow. With the unusual Abomasnows dealt with, Cyrus moved on, climbing higher up the mountain until he reached a piece of land were the wind did not blow and the snow did not fall. His visibility was perfect again, giving him a chance to admire his new surroundings.

Sand-coloured columns surrounded him – many of them had broken, but there were still some standing. It appeared to be an ancient site of some importance, though he did not know what that was. He suspected it was probably a place of worship used by their earliest ancestors. Up ahead, he saw a pedestal and moved towards it, removing the Red Chain from the left pocket of his jacket.

He placed the Red Chain on the pedestal. The item began to glow as did the columns surrounding him. He reached out to touch it, but the surface was no longer cool to touch. The ground jerked suddenly, catching him off guard, causing him to topple over. One of the columns split in half as Cyrus climbed to his feet. He heard a rumble from above and looked up. The clouds were no longer a light grey colour, but were a deep shade of the darkest grey.

They parted. Two monstrous forms came down from the heavens. One was blue four-legged dragon and the other a bipedal pink dragon. Dialga and Palkia, the Creators of Time and Space. They looked down at him, snarling and roaring, but they were incapable of doing anything else. Somehow, the columns on the peak prevented even the strongest of Pokemon from attacking. Red light burst from the Red Chain, enveloping the two legendaries, prompting them to roar again, their combined roars causing the entire mountain to shake.

The Red Chain shattered into pieces and the remaining columns around him crumbled into rubble. Even the pedestal had broken and in its place was a large black shadow door with a purple hue. He moved towards it. "And so it begins," he said to himself, stepping through the door.

The birth of a new world awaited him.

.

Climbing up Mount Coronet was much easier as a group of three rather than embarking on the trek alone, Mars learned. It was far quicker to navigate through the twisting routes with three people and it was also much safer. There were hostile Pokemon living in the mountain and Mars wasn't sure if her Pokemon alone could take them on, but with Jupiter's Pokemon at her side, defeating them was much easier. Charon stood behind them, holding the flashlight in his right hand, the other one cradling a chest under his left shoulder.

What was inside the chest was a mystery – Mars tried asking for details, but Charon refused to speak of it. He simply said it was important that the chest did not fall in the wrong hands and Mars didn't pry for further details. "Looks like the boss made our journey much easier," Jupiter remarked, pointing to a few fainted Golbats. "We just have to follow the trail of fainted Pokemon and we'll find him."

Mars snorted. "I hope so… I can't believe he wanted us to walk all this way…" she murmured, kicking aside a couple of bones away into the darkness. She turned to Charon and opened her mouth to speak when she felt the inner cavern walls shake. Grabbing onto her companions for support, she held onto them firmly, giving them a wide-eyed look.

"Is it a Pokemon?" Jupiter yelped.

Charon shook his head. "He actually made it…" he trailed.

"Made what?" Mars snapped.

"The journey to the peak. He's summoned Dialga and Palkia to open the rift to the Distortion World… or what is most commonly referred to as the Spirit World," Charon explained, a smirk crossing his face. "Come, we must reach the peak." He seemed more excited than usual. Charon led the way to an opening outside, guided by a trail of fainted Pokemon. It was not snowing outside like one would expect – the weather was oddly calm.

Dark, menacing clouds stretched across the sky above them. Never had she seen a cloud so dark before. A cold unsettled feeling raced down her spine. "It's so quiet. Why is not snowing up here? Or blowing for that matter?"

Jupiter too, looked concerned, and perhaps even fearful. "This is… unnatural." She turned to Charon.

"This used to be druids circle many long decades ago," Charon explained. "Our early ancestors used to build monuments of stone to practice rituals. This was such a place – the highest point in the entire region and not so easily accessed." He pointed to the peak where Mars could see a few tall columns. "There is a magical energy that runs through this mountain."

"I don't like it," Mars said, wrapping her arms around her body. The Pokemon rangers of today were said to be direct ancestors of the druids – no wonder they were weird.

Jupiter snorted. "Why are we even up here in the first place?"

"To ensure the gate is not destroyed," Charon said, pointing to a large black shadow door on the highest point.

"Is the boss in there? Shouldn't we go after him?" Mars said.

Charon shook his head. "No, that is far too dangerous."

Jupiter tilted her head. "Isn't this what you wanted, Mars? I thought you were mad at him?"

"I am, but…" She looked to the gate again, unable to shake off a feeling that something was terribly wrong about it. "I never got the chance to have the final say. I can't believe he just walked away like that without telling us anything! He didn't even wait for us!" she complained, kicking the snow. She was half-tempted to walk to the gate now, step inside herself and teach her boss a lesson, but Jupiter held her back.

"What happens if the gate is destroyed?" Jupiter said, looking to Charon for an explanation. Charon seemed to know far too much about the gate, but then again, Charon seemed to know everything.

"Whatever is in there will be trapped inside forever," Charon replied. He moved closer to the gate, climbing up a bent tree, bypassing a strange looking Abomasnow lying face-first in the snow. Mars peered down at it, gave it a sharp kick to test if it was alive, but the massive hulk of a creature remained unmoving.

"Was that an Abomasnow? It didn't look like any of the ones I had seen before," Jupiter remarked.

Charon supplied an answer. "The circle here gives the Pokemon additional features making them different from others of their species. I suppose you could say they are 'mega' evolutions, although I prefer to use the term, the next step in evolution, to describe them." Mars walked up the bent tree then helped Jupiter up. Together, the trio moved towards the gate.

An overriding sense of evil poured through her as she approached the gate. It was almost like this door was a gateway into hell itself. Mars half-expected to see hands emerging from the darkness, pleading for help, like she had seen in numerous horror movies, but there was nothing. Another chill raced down her spine and it wasn't from the cold. "I guess we wait."

There was silence, but peace never lasted for too long. She heard panting behind her and glanced over her shoulder, finding a young teenage male with a wild bushel of blond hair, staring at her. Jupiter turned around as well then smirked. "Look who it is, it's the cry baby," she taunted. "Did you come all this way looking for a rematch? I've gotta say, I'm impressed you made it all this way, but then again, we did make it easier for you."

"Jupiter and Mars… deal with this. The gate must be unharmed," Charon said. He moved closer towards the gate while the two girls moved into position.

"I'm always up for a battle," Mars said, pointing a finger at the blond-haired male. "You don't look so tough anyway. You can help keep things interesting." She summoned her Bronzor and Jupiter summoned hers as well.

"Barry!" Another voice. Mars looked behind Barry and spotted Dawn. She snarled at the sight. Of course Dawn would be here. She was always showing up to make her life miserable.

Barry turned to face Dawn. "Dawn, you made it! What do you say you and I team up and take down these thugs once and for all?" She nodded.

"A two-on-two battle it is then," Jupiter said. "Are you sure you can handle this? You make one mistake and you'll fall to the bottom," she added, gesturing to the side of the mountain. _That was a permanent way of dealing with the bastard child, Mars_ thought.

"Quit talking, and let's battle!" Barry demanded.

Thunder roared.

.

Cynthia stepped outside her home and looked up at the peak of Mount Coronet. Thick dark cloud amassed around the highest point and was rapidly building in size. She knew if action was not taken now, the world she loved would cease to exist. "Cynthia!" Cynthia jumped at the sound of her voice. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted Steven racing towards her. There were dirt patches on his clothes.

"Steven?"

"It's started. We're too late."

She looked up at the peak again. "It's never too late," she replied. The clouds lit up temporarily, as lightning jumped from cloud to cloud. Was Dawn up there right now fighting against Team Galactic? The girl didn't know what horrors awaited in the Distortion World.

"You're going to enter the Distortion World," Steven said, grabbing her arm, turning her to look at him. His eyes were wide with concern, but also with fear.

"Dawn is up there, I know it. She'll enter the rift to find her father… I need to be there with her. I promised to keep an eye on her, Steven. I'm not going to break that vow." She tried to move forward, but Steven wouldn't let go. "Steven."

"The true power of Giratina is unknown."

"I'll be cautious."

He closed his eyes, muttered something then opened his eyes, looking at her again. "Promise me you will come back in one piece."

Cynthia lifted a brow. "I'm the Champion, Steven. I have a duty to protect my homeland and its inhabitants from destruction. You of all people should be aware of that having protected your people at one point in your career." She pried his fingers off her then reached down to summon her Togekiss. Her Togekiss emerged from his pokeball and gazed up at her awaiting orders.

"I don't want to lose you, Cynthia."

That caught her by surprise. She looked at him, another brow raised. "I appreciate your concern for my safety, but I can do this. I _must_ do this, Steven." She climbed onto the back of her Togekiss. "Please take care of my grandmother and my little sister." She was about to order her Togekiss to fly up towards the peak when Steven reached out to her again. This time, instead of grabbing her arm, he lifted a hand to her face, pushing back a part of her fringe that covered her left eye.

"That's better," he remarked, pulling back, a smile on his face. Cynthia just frowned, confused by his actions. "Remember, the Distortion World and Spirit World are the same. Negative emotions will attract the attention of hostile spirits – when you found yourself overwhelmed, think of the positive memories to guard your mind." He studied her face for a couple moments longer then moved in cupping her chin with his hands, pressing his lips against hers.

She was overcome by shock, and momentarily forgot about the scheme taking place on the peak of Mount Coronet, but regained her senses shortly afterwards. She pulled back, feeling flustered. "I really must be going. Come on, Togekiss. We need to fly to the peak." Togekiss jumped into the air and spread his wings. Cynthia didn't dare look back – how was she ever supposed to look him in the eyes again after _that?_

There was no way Steven could possibly be romantically interested in her – she had known him for years and never did he try to make a move on her. He always talked to her myths and legends and his current research project rather than talk about romance topics. She decided it was simply one of those 'heat of the moment' type actions and thought little of it.

She pushed thoughts of Steven out of her mind and focused on the task ahead. Togekiss's wings beat the air as he continued to climb higher and higher until she could clearly see the people battling on the mountain. She spotted Dawn, her blond friend and a couple of Galactic commanders engaged in a battle, but there was no sign of Cyrus. What she did see was a shadow door - the gate to the Distortion World. "Hang in there, Togekiss. We're in for a rough ride."

.

Unnatural rain bucketed down, drenching those caught in it within seconds, as a lightning bolt struck down a column, slicing it in half. The sheer force of it threw the upper half over the side of the mountain while the other half fell to the ground. Deep rumbles of thunder followed. Dawn's hair whipped around her face as the storm conjured a wind, so wild she thought she was going to get swept off her feet and thrown off the mountain.

"Heracross, use Night Slash!" Barry ordered, pointing his finger at Jupiter's Bronzor. His sturdy bug rushed forward and leapt in the air. He crashed down on the Bronzor, slashing at it with the axe-shaped horn on his head. Bronzor fainted.

"Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" Dawn's Houndoom jumped into the fray, spitting a ball of fire at Mars' Bronzor. The creepy creature was hit directly in the face, leaving a ring of black around its inner circle. Her Bronzor fainted too.

The two commanders brought forth two Golbats. Dawn had seen quite a few of those on the way up and had battled a few as well. These two Golbats would be no different.

Jupiter pointed at Barry's Heracross. "Golbat, use Air Cutter!"

"Golbat, use Air Cutter as well!" Mars ordered. The two bats flapped their wings and manipulated the wind around them to use against Barry and Dawn. The pair flew forward and swooped down, slashing their wings against Heracross, knocking the bug unconscious. Heracross had great power, but he had too many weaknesses to exploit.

Barry recalled his Pokemon then brought forth his prized mascot and starter, his Infernape. The flame on his blew in the wind, but somehow never seemed to die out. "Infernape, use Aerial Ace!" His ape ran over to a still-standing column and climbed up then jumped out, slashing a claw at Jupiter's Golbat. The weight on the bat's back caused it to crash to the ground. The Golbat tried to throw the monkey off, but Infernape held down the bat's wings, rendering it incapable of escaping. "Go for it, Dawn!"

"Houndoom, use Fire Fang!" Houndoom sunk his red-hot fangs into the flesh of the Golbat then picked it up, and hurled it to the side. The Golbat hit a column and flopped to the ground. Wind created by the storm blew it over. It landed on the Golbat knocking it unconscious. Jupiter grimaced.

"Golbat, use Poison Fang!" Mars's Golbat swooped down towards Infernape, sinking its fangs into the exposed neck. Infernape tried to swat the bat off, but Golbat held on. It released and removed its fangs, beating its wings furiously to stop itself from getting blown away in the wild elements. Infernape paled.

Barry cursed, and recalled his poisoned Pokemon. He brought out his Staraptor who dug his talons into the snow to remain standing. Jupiter summoned her Skuntank. Flashbacks of its horrible stench played in Dawn's mind and she felt her stomach twist. Hopefully, the wind would blow it away before it reached her nostrils. "Staraptor, use Take Down!" Barry's Staraptor jumped into the air. He threw his entire weight against the bat, knocking it out of the air, slamming it into the snow. The Golbat fainted.

"Hmph, you've toughened up… but you're still no match for the power of my Skuntank!" Jupiter boasted.

Mars brought out her final Pokemon, her Purugly. The two tank-like Pokemon stared down at their opponents. "This ends here. Purugly, use Slash!" Purugly dashed forward and threw her massive bulk against Houndoom, barrelling him over into the snow.

Cat and dog engaged in a vicious duel, but Houndoom was unable to gain the upper advantage. Purugly slashed his face, creating a gash just above his nose. Dawn recalled her Houndoom and brought out her Torterra.

"Skuntank, use Flamethrower!" Skuntank raised its tail, lowered its head then opened its mouth. Flames spewed forth, tiny embers attaching themselves to Torterra's body. Her Torterra growled and swayed from side to side, trying to remove the flames that clung to his body, but the damage had been done. His legs gave way underneath him. Dawn recalled her Torterra.

"I've got this! Staraptor, use Close Combat!" Staraptor took to the air again then hurtled down, his wings pinned against his body. At the last moment, he raked his talons forward and struck the Purugly on the back, forcing the monstrous feline deep into the snow.

Dawn summoned her Zweilous. "Use Dragon Pulse, Zweilous!" Twin beams of draconic energy left the mouths of her dragon. They fused into one and struck the snow around the cat. A layer of snow landed on the feline burying it beneath. Mars kicked the ground, a string of curses leaving her mouth.

"I should've taken this battle on my own…" Jupiter murmured. "Skuntank, Flamethrower!" Another breath of fire left the skunk's mouth. The flames struck her Zweilous, shrouding him in fire, but they appeared to do little damage. Zweilous roared, shook his body, shaking the flames off.

"Staraptor, use Take Down!"

"Zweilous, use Slam!"

Staraptor attacked the Skuntank from above while Zweilous struck from the ground. The combined effort of two physical attacks was too much for the Skuntank. It fell over onto its side. Barry threw a fist into the air. "Who is the weak one now?" he demanded. The intensity of the rain died down, but the storm still continued to rage. Another bolt of lightning struck a column. Dawn jumped at the explosive noise, feeling her ears ring.

"Dawn!"

The ringing in her head died. She turned behind her and found her mother with Professor Rowan. It had been a couple of months since she last saw her mother and it was quite shocking to see how much weight the woman had put on during their time apart. "Mum!" Dawn rushed over to her and threw her arms around her waist.

"Professor Rowan!" Barry blurted. "You made it!" The professor leaned against the mountain's wall, taking in deep long breaths. Dawn was surprised the guy even managed to make it up this far, but he appeared to be stronger than what his age implied.

"Did you invite the rest of the neighbourhood as well?" Jupiter commented sourly.

Mars's eyes locked on Johanna then moved downwards, eyes resting on her belly. Her eyes narrowed, fingers curling into fists. "You…" she hissed. She took a couple of steps towards Johanna, but Zweilous blocked her path, snarling. Mars froze.

"Dawn!" Someone else called her name and it came from above this time. Riding on an oval-shaped avian was Cynthia, her long blonde hair flowing in the wind. Her Pokemon landed on the ground and Cynthia climbed off.

"I came as quickly as I could… Are you all right?" Cynthia said.

Dawn nodded. "I'm fine."

Cynthia turned to the shadow door behind the two female commanders. "I would love to talk, but we do not have much time. Your father has stepped through the rift entering what is known as the Distortion World. I fear he may be in great danger." She took Dawn's hand. "If we do not stop him now this world will cease to exist."

Johanna's jaw dropped. She looked physically sick at Cynthia's words. "No… I won't lose my daughter!"

"Johanna, I'm asking you to trust me on this," Cynthia said calmly. "I will protect Dawn with my life, this I swear, but she must come with me to put an end to this." Johanna started crying. Professor Rowan hobbled over and placed a hand on his niece's shoulder.

"Cynthia will bring her back safely," he said soothingly.

Johanna buried her face in his shoulder and continued weeping. She wept some more then sniffed, pulling her head away from the professor's right sleeve. "Please… don't let him die… I _need_ him…" Cynthia studied her face for a few moments then nodded. Johanna turned back to Rowan again. Dawn gave her mother an assuring smile and followed Cynthia towards the rift.

"You can't enter the rift!" Charon exclaimed, storming forwards, pushing the other two commanders aside roughly. "You must not interfere!"

"You _will_ stand down," Cynthia replied, her voice taking on a dangerous tone, Dawn felt a shudder race down her spine. Charon lacked Pokemon to defend himself with and could do nothing but stand back and allow Cynthia and Dawn to pass. Dawn gazed up at the door feeling a dark evil radiate from it. Something didn't feel quite right about it.

"Take me with you," Barry said, rushing up towards them. "I need to be there too!"

Cynthia shook her head. "Your place is outside here. Protect the others and do not let the Galactic commanders leave your sight."

Barry looked at Dawn. "Don't be long." He took a few steps back, his Staraptor at his side.

Dawn looked up to Cynthia for comfort. Cynthia smiled. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

Together, they entered through the rift.


	24. Ravaged World

Thanks to IanAlphaAxel for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing chapter 9.

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Three: Ravaged World**

The Distortion World was unlike any landscape she had witnessed before – she was surrounded by a sea of blackness that seemed to stretch on, never seeming to have any end to it. It was like she had taken a step into the abyss itself only there appeared to be some form of environment here. There were trees and lakes, but they did not share the same appearance as they did in the real world.

The lakes were blood red and the trees were black and leafless. The trees looked dead, but the vines and tendrils wrapped around its branches and stump were very much alive. The vines and tendrils moved like a Seviper, slowly weaving their way around the branches, interlocking with the other trees in close proximity. Dawn turned to face Cynthia, who wore an expression of intrigue on her face.

"The Distortion World… This is… Not what I expected…" she murmured.

"What is this place supposed to be?"

"You've heard of the Spirit World, haven't you?"

Dawn nodded, continuing to examine her surroundings. There wasn't much to look at in terms of scenery, but she was fascinated by the little she could see. The trees, the lakes… even the blackness around her was interesting because it was different from what she was accustomed to. She moved a step forward, and jumped, as a ghostly white mist wrapped around her leg. Mist wasn't a solid object, but she could feel it like it was, even though it was transparent. Weird.

"The Spirit World is a place where ghost-type trainers can enter to understand the world around them better. They can see things here that other trainers cannot. It is a world within a world. Spirits roam the realm, searching for victims to feast upon. They take the forms of ghost-type Pokemon, but they are not really Pokemon," Cynthia explained softly.

She took a step forward. Mist wrapped around her legs, but the woman seemed not concerned by it. She took another step forward and Dawn followed after her, not wanting to be alone in an unfamiliar landscape like this. "What are they then?"

Cynthia shrugged. "It is a matter of debate. Some will say they are Pokemon because they take the form of Pokemon, but some of the experts claim they are simply manifestations of our darkest thoughts that become more Pokemon-like when they devour the souls of spirit walkers that brave the realm."

"This place is the same as the Spirit World then?"

"When a walker enters the realm the landscape changes according to their preferences, but that is not the case here. We are in the heart of Spirit World – this is its true form. We must keep our guard up at all times – there is no telling what will happen here." She took Dawn's hand and led her forwards venturing further into the eerie place.

"Do you think we will have to fight?" Dawn said, her hand immediately resting on the pokeballs around her waist. The thought of fighting against Pokemon-type creatures in an obscure place like this was unsettling. Was it possible to fall off the edge here? Was it possible to perish?

"I hope not… A rift has been opened in an unnatural way – what happens here may have a direct impact in our world. It would be wiser to run than to battle." They continued walking further still bypassing a couple of dead trees, mist clinging to their legs. The vines reached out to grab her, but she moved out of harm's way, sticking close to Cynthia.

Cynthia came to an abrupt stop and placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder. Dawn looked up at her, alarmed. "What happened?"

"Listen, do you hear that?"

Dawn strained her ears – aside from their own voices, she hadn't heard any other sounds. She tried to concentrate on a sound other than her own breathing then heard a faint rustling noise, like leaves blowing in a gentle breeze, except there were no leaves here. Cynthia raised a finger then pointed forward, bringing Dawn's attention to a spirit which had the shape of a Haunter floating by.

Except it wasn't really a Haunter – this one was a skeletal figure wielding a scythe in its right three-fingered claw. Dawn had seen quite a number of horrific things in lead up to this moment, but none as frightening as that. The Haunter floated past, not once stopping to look in their direction much to Dawn's relief.

"Cynthia, if you don't mind me asking why did you ask me to come with you into the Distortion World?"

Cynthia glanced down at her, her eyebrows raised. "I wanted to help you find your father."

"And how did you know I was at Mt. Coronet?" Cynthia looked away. Dawn frowned. "Cynthia, please. Tell me. How do you know so much?"

"I'm a trainer, just like you Dawn."

"But you're more than just any ordinary trainer." Dawn looked at Cynthia with more interest. "I saw you in Oreburgh City… And I saw you again in Hearthome City after I had lost against Fantina. You're not a gym leader, but you know a lot about Pokemon." Cynthia looked at her expectantly. "You were supposed to be there during the meeting in Canalave City. Steven knows you…" She decided to be frank. "You're the Champion of Sinnoh."

That explained how Cynthia knew so much and why she appeared in times Dawn really need someone to talk to that wasn't Barry. She felt like smacking herself in the head for not realizing it earlier.

"You are correct," Cynthia said after a brief pause, smiling slightly. "I wasn't supposed to tell you until you reached the league, but you've come to the conclusion yourself. I see no reason why I should keep the truth from you."

Dawn gazed up at her with awe. Cynthia was the Champion of the region, but not only that, she was also a close family friend to her mother. To think all this time the Champion was watching over her, giving her much needed advice when all hope seemed lost. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"My grandmother felt it would be better if you didn't know – you might not have wanted to continue your journey if you knew you had to face me at the end. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I'm sorry, Dawn." She paused then continued. "I hope this doesn't change anything – I hope you still want to claim the title of Champion."

"What if you lose your title?" Dawn pointed out.

Cynthia smiled warmly. "All good things must come to an end, Dawn, but when one tale finishes, another one begins." She gazed up at the pitch-black sky and looked down again. "But let us not worry about the end yet – we must focus on finding your father before something far worse than hostile spirits makes it presence known."

There was something worse than the scythe wielding creature she saw earlier? She shuddered to think what it could possibly be. "If we find him, what will you do with him?" Her father was responsible for the destruction of the lakes and the torture of the Lake Guardians. He sent people to their deaths and all for what? To open a rift to the Distortion World?

"That's for you to decide, Dawn."

She thought of the innocent Pokemon that had died in the bombings. She thought of the tortured Lake Guardians and recalled Charon's chilling words about her father having taken great delight in their suffering. It made her stomach twist and turn. She wanted to hate him, to despise him for the things he had done, but no matter what, he was still her father. She found herself wishing that he wasn't because then it would be so much easier to hate him for the crimes he had committed.

"I always wanted to know who he was…" Dawn said slowly. "And now that I know, I wish that I didn't." No wonder her mother had tried hard to keep his identity from her for years. That's probably why she was reluctant to allow Dawn to leave on her journey because she feared she'd learn the truth. Her mother had been trying to protect her from the pain of honesty.

"My grandmother performed experiments on Pokemon in her younger days in exchange for money," Cynthia said softly, brushing a lock of her away from her face. "I was angry at her – I felt betrayed. I looked up to her for years and then I found that out… I didn't want to know her," Cynthia trailed, seemingly lost in a memory of her own then pulled herself out of it. "Sometimes we become blinded by our own anger when we have been hurt, but if it were not for her, I would not be the person I am today."

"At least your grandmother didn't bomb lakes."

"No," Cynthia shook her head. "But she experimented on Pokemon. I would not be surprised if some of those Pokemon died especially in her early research days. I can't stay mad at her forever though – her actions I hate, but I can't hate her."

"She had a reason though. You said she did it for money."

Cynthia nodded. "Everyone has a reason for their actions. Some reasons are shallow, and others are more complex."

"What's his excuse then? What could possibly justify the capturing of innocent Pokemon?"

"You'll have to ask him that yourself, Dawn. I can't make up your mind for you."

Dawn sighed. She wished someone else would make the decision for her so she didn't have to do it herself. What if it was the wrong one? What if she made a decision that ended up with life imprisonment, or worse, death? It was easy to come up with ways to punish someone, but to actually deal the killing blow? She furrowed her brows. What would her mother think?

"Dawn," Cynthia said. Her tone had changed from casual to alert. "You need to guard your mind – negative thoughts here will attract unwanted attention. Think of something positive and hold onto that thought. It may be the only thing that will save us." She gestured towards an opening behind a couple of blackened trees. A horde of skeletal Haunters floated towards them, their scythes raised at the ready.

She gulped and tried to think of something positive. Winning a difficult gym battle. Receiving her first Pokemon from Professor Rowan. Winning the friendship and trust of her Zweilous. The horde of reapers stopped moving towards their direction and drifted off in another. Cynthia continued moving forward and Dawn followed close behind. They bypassed a few more leafless trees and a few lakes then stopped at bloody river crossing.

Cynthia bent down and reached out to touch the liquid. She jerked her hand back, her fingers covered in the red water, as a shadow sped over them. Cynthia glanced up and Dawn followed her gaze, but found nothing. A tremor shook the ground. Before Dawn could react, she found herself speeding upwards, as the world around them began to change.

The red liquid of the lakes changed into that of clear blue water and the trees turned into long green vines that clung to brown platforms. Dawn looked at Cynthia and she was relieved to see Cynthia looked just as surprised as her. "Giratina," she breathed her eyes wide. "He knows of our presence and he's changed the environment. We must be cautious."

The ground underneath them moved again, this time moving in a northerly direction. They were standing on a brown platform now and Dawn found that more comforting than standing on blackness. At least she now knew where she could step. The platform moved again where another platform floated. "Are we supposed to make that jump?" Dawn said.

"We should wait and see what happens."

There! Small brown stepping stones appeared one by one, forming a little bridge to the other platform. Cynthia crossed over first and Dawn followed behind, keeping her arms stretched to the side to keep her balance. She didn't want to know what would happen should she fall off the side. The new platform lifted upwards bringing them both to a much larger piece of landmass. Cynthia jumped and landed on the other side and waited for Dawn to do the same.

This new landmass had multiple vines sticking upright from the ground. "This is… odd," Cynthia murmured. The platform tilted to the right and Dawn immediately grabbed hold off a nearby vine as Cynthia did the same. It continued to turn until they were hanging upside. "Hang on!" Cynthia exclaimed.

Dawn held on for dear life. Her hands began to burn when the platform tilted again so they were back in their original position. "What's going on? Who is Giratina?"

"He's a legendary Pokemon of the Creation Trio, the creator of anti-matter. He was cast down into this realm from Arceus for betraying him. This is… his prison," she said, her brows knotted in concern. "He sees us a threat." She frowned again then mumbled to herself. Dawn caught fragments of her sentences. "He knew… this is a trap."

"Cynthia?" Dawn asked worry building up within her.

Cynthia jerked her head at Dawn then bent down, grabbing her shoulders with both hands. "That man outside… Did he tell you his name?"

"His name is Charon."

She cursed. "I should've known…"

"What's going on, Cynthia?" Dawn looked up at her through fearful eyes, feeling her heart beat begin to quicken.

The Champion actually looked worried and that wasn't a good sign. "He told you to come to Mt. Coronet, didn't he?"

"He told me after I helped him unlock the safe to the chest containing his Pokemon's ashes."

Cynthia frowned. "Pokemon's ashes?"

"He said he lost a Pokemon."

The Champion brought a nail to her lip and gnawed on it for a few moments. "He must've been a ghost-type trainer… that's how he knew about Giratina… Giratina killed his companion and Charon sought revenge…" Cynthia was talking more to herself now than she was to Dawn. Dawn found it difficult to make sense of Cynthia's jumbled sentences. "Charon always knew this was going to happen… He wants to release Giratina and trap us within this place instead… We're all pawns in his game."

"Cynthia?" Dawn tried again.

Cynthia's grip tightened. "Listen to me, Dawn. We are in terrible danger."

Dawn's lip quivered. "Wh-what?""

"This world was created by Arceus to stop evil from being released. We need to split up – I'll distract the spirits and you go find Cyrus." Cynthia released her grip and stood up, her hand falling to her pokebelt.

"I don't understand," Dawn blurted.

"Cyrus opened the rift to the Distortion World. He's the new gatekeeper in and as long as he lives, Giratina can't escape, but if he is killed, Giratina can leave his prison cell and our world will suffer." She gestured to a horde of skeletal Haunters moving towards their position. "Find your father, Dawn. I will meet up with you." Before Dawn could protest, Cynthia hopped down onto the moving platform leaving Dawn on her own.

Taking the path by using the platforms seemed dangerous considering she had no idea where they led. The platforms seemed to lead towards the sky, but as soon as she stepped on one, it changed its direction and went somewhere else instead, often leading to a still platform. Stepping on one was dangerous as well – there was no telling which platforms would disappear and which ones would stay.

She decided to play it safe and summoned her Honchkrow then climbed on his back. Her avian spread his wings and jumped into the air, gaining altitude after a few flaps. Being able to fly as per normal was strange considering how bizarre this place, but she was grateful for it. Her Honchkrow continued to climb, bypassing several more platforms and upside down waterfalls when she reached a medium-sized piece of land with a waterfall.

It wasn't the waterfall that grabbed her attention though – it was the trainer standing on top of it that caught her eye. He was shouting at the empty blackness before him, completely oblivious to her presence. This was the same man who had willingly sacrificed the lives of his men for personal gain. This was the same man who had left her mother many years ago to pursue ambition. This was the same man who had opened the gate to the Distortion World for who knows what reason. Her father.

She tightened her jaw. A wave of emotions poured through her. Anger, confusion, but mostly hurt. The same blood that ran through his veins ran through hers as well and it wasn't something she could ever remove. Blood was a permanent reminder. It bound people together whether they wanted to be or not. Even in death she would be forever reminded of him until death claimed her soul.

Cynthia had talked about forgiveness, relaying to her information about her grandmother's misdoings. She had found it within herself to forgive her despite the pain that had been inflicted. Her thoughts moved to Deino, recalling how her beloved Pokemon had turned against her, biting down into her arm causing severe blood loss. She had forgiven him and refused to put him down. Looking at her father, she frowned. Could she forgive him too?

She moved towards him, summoning her Houndoom, feeling her stomach muscles tighten. Perhaps she'd have to fight him to break him down and obtain the answers to the questions that plagued her mind.

.

Time was of the essence here. Every second wasted brought them closer to life imprisonment in Giratina's cage. Vines emerged from the ground, trying to grab her legs and arms, but Cynthia nimbly avoided them. There were more spirits appearing now, seemingly drawn to the higher levels of the Distortion World where she assumed Cyrus was.

As she sprinted forward, the environment around her began to change again, this time turning into something that looked like hell itself. Pools of lava replaced the pools of water and the vines turned into burning hot whips. The ground itself turned into fire-red tiles and she could feel the warmth seep through her shoes if she stayed motionless for too long. Rocks burst up from the ground, making the landscape resemble the base of a volcano.

Giratina was the creator of anti-matter and he could create a new world, but it also seemed he could change his surroundings at whim. A violent tremor shook the ground and Cynthia tumbled to the side, as the platform tilted to the right. Streams of lava poured down the sides. Cynthia threw herself behind a rock and dug her fingers into its cracks, holding on for dear life. Searing pain travelled throughout her body, beginning with her hands, as the heat continued to build in its intensity. Beads of perspiration appeared on her forehead.

The ground tilted to the left again and she found herself back on stable footing. Releasing her grip, she stood up and winced, glancing down at the redness on her palms. The pain was enough to want to shed tears, but she was a Champion, and Champions did not cry. Clenching her teeth, she continued moving forward. Drawing the spirits away from Dawn and Cyrus's location was her priority – she had to give the future champion some time alone with her father.

Bringing her right hand down to her pokebelt, she removed a pokeball and threw it forward, cringing as pain seared up her arms. Garchomp, her closest and strongest friend, emerged from her pokeball, gnashing her teeth at the air around her, smacking the ground with her thick tail. The roars of her dragon caught the attention of some of the spirits and they turned around, moving towards her instead. However, only of them floated towards her, but she hoped Dawn could hold them off.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" Garchomp roared again then charged forward towards the mass horde, swinging her tail with such power, she could leave a deep dent in even the sturdiest of Steel-type Pokemon. Three spirits were thrown aside from the impact, their anguished cries filling the air. She felt chills race down her spine.

The power of her Garchomp had created cracks in the ground, allowing lava to burst up through the openings. Cynthia dived out of the way, narrowly avoiding a lava fountain, landing behind another rock. She picked herself up and steadied herself as the ground began to rock back and forth. Garchomp continued to fight the swarm of spirits, attacking them with the blades on the ends of her elbows. With each hit, a spirit turned into ash, disappearing from sight.

Cynthia wasn't sure if they had been defeated or if nothing truly died in this world, but she didn't want to take any more risks. Before she could give her Garchomp another order, the curve of a scythe struck the space next to her. She spun around on her heels, finding herself face to face with a spirit. The creature opened its mouth, a hot breath reeking of decomposing flesh washing over face. She staggered backwards and almost tripped over in the process, but somehow managed to stay afoot.

The spirit moved towards her, raising its scythe into the air again, preparing another swing. Cynthia balled her fingers on her right hand into a fist and thrust it forward, striking the foul-smelling creature in the face. It howled then dissolved into ash. Panting, Cynthia lowered her arms, glancing around her, making sure there were no other ones behind her. She was thankful for having taken some basic fighting lessons from Maylene, after all, a Champion couldn't always rely on their Pokemon to fight battles.

Garchomp defeated a few more spirits and Cynthia kicked one in the face. Some of the spirits heading towards Cyrus's location broke from the group. They turned around and came towards her. Although she had the power to keep fighting, her primary goal was to stall for time. Dawn now had received enough of a headstart – it was time to rejoin her. She threw a pokeball at her Garchomp to return her to safety, but Garchomp slapped it away.

"Garchomp." Garchomp shook her head and Cynthia knew. Her dragon wanted to stay here fighting the spirits to allow her to reach Dawn without having a swarm of spirits chasing her. She nodded and summoned her Togekiss and climbed on. "I promise I won't be long." Togekiss lifted upwards and flew towards the highest platform as the world around her reverted back to its original blackened state. She prayed to Arceus she wasn't too late.

.

Cyrus had lost count of how long he had been roaming around the Distortion World trying to find Giratina. Giratina was supposed to create his new world, but the beast wasn't in sight. His agitation levels had reached their peak level – this was far worse than navigating his way through Mount Coronet's blasted twisting paths. The world kept changing its environment and that made it difficult to get anywhere.

"This isn't how it was supposed to be! You are supposed to obey me!" he called out up at what was presumably the sky. He received nothing in reply, other than the echo of his own voice. "Show yourself, Giratina! I know you're here!" He continued to yell but still there was nothing. Giratina had abandoned him, just like everyone else.

Was this the new world? A bleak landscape? No. He refused to believe this was it. There had to be something else. Perhaps he had overlooked something. He reached down to his pokebelt and summoned his Houndoom. Maybe Giratina wasn't aware of his presence yet? "Houndoom, use Flamethrower."

Houndoom released a fiery breath into the blackness. He hoped the light would attract Giratina's attention and draw him out of wherever he was hiding so he could finally use the creature's power as his own to create the new world. He ordered Houndoom to attack again, when a nearby vine emerged from a hole in the ground, wrapping itself around his left leg.

He summoned his Honchkrow to lend some assistance. "Honchkrow, use Night Slash." The avian slashed down at the vine holding him in place. The vine disappeared, but was replaced by two vines. Tendrils reached out and grabbed him, lifting him up into the air until he was hanging upside down. Another vine emerged, lacing around his waist, squeezing him, prompting him to gasp for air.

Houndoom burned it down with another Flamethrower. The vines released him and he fell to the ground, throwing his arms out in front to protect his head. He landed with a thud, a groan escaping his throat, as he helped himself back up again. The vines continued to emerge. For everyone one he destroyed, another two would take its place, adding to his annoyance. He decided to move away instead and climbed on to the next platform with his Houndoom which took him up higher.

Now he was standing near a waterfall only the water travelled upwards rather than down. Giratina was playing games, testing his resolve most likely. His patience was wearing thin. A strange looking skeletal Haunter-type creature emerged from the blackness, a scythe in its right claw. So, Giratina had his minions too. "Houndoom, use Dark Pulse." Houndoom opened his jaws and spat forth a dark glowing energy beam. The beam struck the creature in the face. A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the area.

Another skeletal creature emerged from the blackness, its scythe raised at the ready to strike. Cyrus held his ground, glowering at the Haunter-like Pokemon then ordered his Houndoom to attack again. His Houndoom jumped, swiping a paw at the creature then raised his tail and drove it through its face. The bizarre spirit turned into mist.

He was about to order his Honchkrow to attack another skeletal being when another Houndoom jumped onto his platform. The other Houndoom horns didn't curve back as much as his Houndoom, but it looked strong. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" The newcomer opened his mouth, releasing a ball of fire towards the direction of his canine. His Houndoom dodged the attack then charged, throwing himself at the other.

The two dogs circled other, saliva dripping out of the sides of their mouths, whipping the ground with their tails. Cyrus turned around, half-expecting to see the Champion herself there, but instead found Dawn, hanging onto the side of the platform. She climbed over then stood up, refusing to meet his eyes. He noticed her clothes had been ripped in various places and assumed she had trouble with those blasted vines as well. Had she come all this way to fight him?

"Use Smog, Houndoom!" Dawn ordered.

He couldn't decipher her expression, but he knew it wasn't one of joy and happiness. She probably thought of him as a monster. It was odd seeing her now – the last time he had crossed paths with her was in Hearthome's Pokemon Centre. She looked far healthier now than she did back then and she had become so much stronger.

She was no longer an innocent and naive pre-teen. He knew he played a big role in her development into a mature young hardened teenager. She had stumbled across sights no child should have to witness and overcame challenges not even the most skilled gym leaders could endure. The girl probably had enough experience now to match any Champion. "You shouldn't have come."

She didn't appear to be in the mood for casual talk, preferring to let her Pokemon do the talking. Her Houndoom charged again, throwing himself at his Houndoom, striking the older canine in the face slashing his nose. "I had to," she replied. Her Houndoom charged a third time, slapping his Houndoom with his tail.

His Houndoom fought back. His experience gave him the upper edge and he was able to pin the younger Houndoom to the ground, pressing the tip of his tail against the other's throat. "I wanted to know you for _years!_ "

The anguish in her tone made him uncomfortable. "It would've been better if you hadn't." He would've preferred it if they were enemies – that would make things much easier than they were now. His Houndoom drew back his tail then clamped his jaws around the younger one's neck, sinking his teeth deep into the flesh. A chilling howl echoed throughout the area. It would be so easy to strike her down, to have his Pokemon tear away at her own, but he couldn't give the order – that damned Mesprit had weakened his mind.

A whine left the younger Houndoom's throat, as he tried to throw the older one off him, but Cyrus's Houndoom remained in his place, his jaws still clamped around the other's neck. The younger canine brought his tail up, slashing at one of his hind legs. His Houndoom released his grip, throwing his head back, releasing a pained howl. Much to his surprise, her Houndoom lifted himself to his legs. Where did she get her power from?

Her Houndoom was less experienced, but still, he had managed to overpower his own, a veteran of battle. He was temporarily baffled by it, giving Dawn the opportunity to attack again. Houndoom rammed his head into his own Houndoom, knocking his canine off his feet onto the ground. Again, he was confused. Did her power come from her emotions? No. That wasn't right. Emotions were weak! They took power away from an individual! "You've come a long way since I last crossed paths with you."

"I came all this way to hear the truth."

The girl probably wanted to know why he had abandoned them. Looking at her now reminded him of himself many long years ago when he was her age. He often found himself wondering why his father detested him. The man used to look at him as if he were something foul and repulsive. "I had to leave," he said tersely. Her Houndoom knocked down his canine again. "For reasons you wouldn't understand."

How was he supposed to explain to his own daughter he had abandoned her mother to bring his reality of a perfect world to life? It didn't matter anymore though since his perfect world turned out to be nothing more than a bleak and desolate place with a furious legendary trapped inside. Dawn's lack of knowledge about him had probably saved her from the darkness that had consumed him. If he had been here during those years, she might've become trapped inside this vicious cycle of failure he was in.

His Houndoom fell to the floor, panting heavily. The dog tried to climb to his feet, but he lacked the stamina to stand. Dawn's younger Houndoom had bested him. Youth and spirit had defeated experience and power. Another failure. He couldn't even win a Pokemon battle now. His other Pokemon were down for the count having been used to battle his way to the peak. He still had Honchkrow though, but the avian was on the verge of collapse. He backed away until he was on the edge of the platform.

"I yield."

Dawn's Houndoom continued to growl, but the canine did not attack. Houndooms were known to be fiercely loyal to their trainers and this one seemed very attached to Dawn. If she gave the order, the canine would not hesitate to push him over. "You've lost," she said. "Put your other Pokemon down on the ground."

The commanding tone in her voice surprised him. If she hadn't decided to become a trainer, she could've been the leader of a successful company or become part of the police force. "You're giving me orders," he replied curtly, removing his pokeballs one by one, and placing them on the ground. How the roles had reversed. Generally a parent was the one to give orders to their children, not to be given commands by them. "You fight for a world that is mercilessly cruel."

A world that would forever remain cruel. The perfect world, one without emotions, was just wishful thinking on his behalf. Perhaps it was his flawed nature that made the dream impossible. It was doomed to fail from the beginning and everyone else but himself could see that. "Is that why you came here?"

"It doesn't matter anymore what I want… It can never be now. You've made sure of that." Silence fell. There wasn't much else he could say in his defence so he remained quiet. How could he explain himself to a child anyway?

"Not the perfect world you were hoping to create is it?" a new voice said behind him. He glanced over to the right and spotted Cynthia, the Champion herself, in the flesh. Her clothes were ruffled and her hair was in a mess around her face, as if she herself had been in a fight. Of course the Champion would come.

He was finding it difficult to understand how his long years of planning had ended in ruin. Everything had gone as according to plan – he found the Lake Guardians and captured them, extracted their gems and turned it into the Red Chain and used that to summon the creators of time and space. The Distortion World was supposed to be his new universe.

But just like his earlier plans, it failed. Once a failure, always a failure, his father had said numerous times. It was no wonder why the man seemed to despise him so much. Some people were destined to succeed, and other such as himself, were born to fail - to rise up through the ranks or to fall through the cracks and fade away.

"… Years of work… meaningless in the end…" he muttered. "Tell me, Champion. How can you fight for a world that is corrupt and doomed to fail? Can you not see the weakness that plagues our planet?" Emotions were weak and the reason behind failing…. weren't they? They always led to pain. To war. To hatred.

"I believe in hope."

He gave a soft, cynical laugh. "What do you hope for, Champion?"

"For peace and love."

His mouth tightened. "There will never be peace in this imperfect world!" His wounded Houndoom snarled, baring his teeth, but Dawn's Houndoom silenced him with a menacing growl of his own. "You lecture me about emotions being a positive force, but I have yet to see it change the world for the better, only for the worse."

Dawn visibly winced, but Cynthia's expression remained neutral. "Only because you choose to believe emotions are the cause of suffering and strife in this world. I know you didn't have it easy, but that's no reason to believe the rest of the world should be punished." She took a step towards him as though being closer would make him understand.

He clenched his hand. "You know nothing, Champion," he said, angry. "I've seen the darker side of emotions… I endured it. Have you any idea what it feels like to have your world crumble around you and know there's nothing you can do to change it? To be told that no matter how hard you try you will never be good enough? You know why that happens? Emotions. Anger, fury, rage… It leads to weakness." It was all he had ever known.

He hadn't forgotten about the times he'd wake up in the middle of the night listening to the screams of his parents arguing. He hadn't forgotten hearing the sounds of glass shattering or seeing the bloodstains on the floor the following day. He hadn't forgotten seeing his mother curled up in a corner, weeping, bruises lining her arms and legs or the fury on his father's face when something wasn't up to his standard. He remembered watching the other kids play at the local school and wanting to feel the same form of joy they seemed to have, but his father pulled him away to save embarrassment.

"Emotion, willpower and knowledge make an incomplete heart whole," Cynthia replied. "That is where we draw our strength from – it comes from within."

He snorted. Incomplete heart. It sounded like a bad joke, but no one was laughing. He looked from Dawn to Cynthia then to Dawn again, frowning. They both looked at him, smiling. He could see the contentment in their eyes. They had found peace, something he had hoped to achieve by creating a new universe. Could Cynthia's nonsense actually be… truth? Was it because his heart was incomplete? Is that why he failed numerous times? Had he gotten it all wrong?

"You understand it, don't you?" Cynthia softly said. "Emotions aren't the evil you want them to be."

He turned away, uncomfortable. Instead, he focused his attention on the seemingly bottomless black pit before him. "Perhaps… perhaps you are right…" he said slowly, finding it suddenly difficult to speak. "Perhaps, had I acted differently…" Then there would've been no destruction and the Lake Guardians would still be in their lakes in one piece, not lying on the floor in a pool of their own blood. Perhaps he would've been at peace with the world like his grandparents. "But it's too late for me now – I can't undo the past."

"You have a daughter, Cyrus. You also have a wife-"

"Not married," he replied bluntly.

"-Who loves you despite everything that has happened. Are you willing to throw that all away? To give up on them the same way your father gave up on you?" Cynthia demanded, almost in a pleading-like manner. "You're not the failure you believe yourself to be."

So he was wrong. It didn't change anything. The damage he had created could not be reversed. His will and determine have left. For the sins committed, he knew he deserved death. There was no redemption – he could not atone for his sins. Falling into the blackness of oblivious and voidness was his last option and there his soul would be forever damned. The world would be a better place without him. Suffering followed in his footsteps. There was no hope left. No light at the end of the tunnel. He squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

He jumped.

.

It all happened so quickly, Dawn barely had time to react. She thought he had come to accept his mistakes and for a moment, she was right, but then he jumped over the ledge. An anguished cry tore through her, and before she knew it, she was lying down on the platform, holding onto her father's arm. She felt herself moving towards the edge when Cynthia dropped to her knees. She grabbed Cyrus's arm then pulled, trying to pull him back up.

He peered up at her and Dawn was surprised to see his eyes brimming with tears.

"There is still a chance to make things right," Cynthia said.

His gaze hardened, but the tears continued to fall. He didn't bother trying to wipe them away. "I had to sacrifice some of my men to get me to this point. I can't bring those lives back and undo the destruction I have created. I can never make up for this," he replied, glancing back down at the blackness again. Dawn dug her fingers in. If she lost him now she'd never forgive herself.

"You cannot undo what you have done, but you can change the path you walk on," Cynthia added. "Suicide isn't the answer. There is always hope."

"You… believe that?" he replied, glancing back up again, looking bewildered.

"The heart forgives."

Dawn saw him hesitate, and for a brief moment, she thought he was going to drop down and punish himself for his misdoings. Instead, he brought up his other hand and grabbed onto Cynthia's arm and clung on. Unfortunately, the combined efforts of her and Cynthia weren't enough to bring him back up.

She saw only one other option. "Houndoom!" Dawn ordered. The canine rushed forward and lowered his head, clamping his jaws around Cyrus's arm. A hiss of pain left him. Houndoom planted his feet firmly in the ground and took a few steps back, bringing him back up onto the platform, blood trailing down his arm. An uncontrollable smile spread across her face. Cyrus was bleeding now, but at least he was alive.

"We have to leave now," Cynthia said, brushing her blonde curls away from her face, her expression grim. "By this point, Giratina has probably detected our presence."

"I…" Cyrus started.

Dawn shook her head. "You can thank us later, dad."

"We need to head back to the entrance."

Cyrus was speechless for while, obviously finding being called 'dad' foreign. He pulled himself out of his trance though and clutched a bloodied arm to his chest before climbing to his feet. "And quickly too," he remarked, glancing down at his arm. Blood seeped through his clothing and Dawn scrunched up her nose at the stench. "Your scarf, Dawn."

Moving her hands to her neck, she removed her scarf and gave it to him. He took it with his other hand, placed the cloth onto his wounded arm and attempted to wrap it around. It proved to be struggle though, and Dawn could tell from the way he cringed, Houndoom's bite stung. Eventually, he managed to wrap it around and held his bloodied arm to his chest, applying pressure around the bite area.

Cynthia prepared to lead the group forward, but only took one step when she came to an abrupt stop. Dawn turned her head in the direction of Cynthia's gaze, her jaw dropping. Her stomach tightened and she heart beat quickened, fear beginning to take over her mind. Red eyes looked down at her.

"Giratina."


End file.
